Saira Hamid

Planetary Scientist

Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, Arizona State University

At Arizona State University, I am a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Earth and Space Exploration. I earned my PhD in Geological Sciences from Arizona State University as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, following earlier training in Geosciences and Geographic Information Science at Georgia State University.

Research Publications ASU Profile CV

About Me

I study how planetary environments move and transform materials across surfaces, atmospheres, and interiors, from volcanic gases and dust to ice, aerosols, and microorganisms. Using volcanology, atmospheric science, climate modeling, and mission science, my work examines what these transport processes reveal about climate, planetary evolution, and exploration across worlds including Mars, the Moon, and Earth.

Research At A Glance

Hamid et al. 2025 near-surface hydrogen figure

Mars Surface-Atmosphere Exchange

I study how volcanic gases, ash, dust, aerosols, and water interact with the Martian atmosphere and surface, using climate modeling to investigate ice accumulation, atmospheric transport, and climate evolution.

Lunar surface display related to sample return science

Lunar Evolution And Exploration

My lunar work connects magma ocean evolution, ancient magnetism, volcanology, and sample return science to questions about the Moon’s interior history and future robotic exploration.

Saira Hamid working with atmospheric research instrumentation during AEROSE

Aerosols, Dust, And Microbial Transport

I conduct research at sea to examine how Saharan dust, aerosols, and microorganisms move through ocean-atmosphere systems and shape atmospheric processes.

Featured News

Publication

14 October 2025

Martian volcanoes may have transported ice to the planet’s equator

This Nature Communications study investigates how explosive volcanic eruptions could induce precipitation and contribute to unusual equatorial ice deposits on Mars.

Mission Science

March 18, 2026

ASU postdoc joins team planning first Moon sample return since Apollo era

Saira serves on the SPARX Science Definition Team, helping define science objectives, mission concepts, and instrument priorities for future South Pole-Aitken Basin sample return.

Research Activity

Forthcoming

AEROSE and atmospheric transport across the Atlantic

Using the ocean as a research platform, AEROSE connects Saharan dust, atmospheric aerosols, ocean-atmosphere exchange, and microbial transport through trans-Atlantic research cruises.

Selected Publications

  • Hamid, S. S., Kerber, L., & Clarke, A. B. 2025. Precipitation induced by explosive volcanism on Mars and its implications for unexpected equatorial ice. Nature Communications.
  • Hamid, S. S., Kerber, L., Varnam, M., Hamilton, C. W., & Clarke, A. B. 2025. Warming, cooling, and surface ice accumulation initiated by the release of water from the Athabasca Valles flood lava eruption on Mars. Earth and Planetary Science Letters.
  • Hamid, S. S., Kerber, L., & others. 2024. The delivery of water ice to the Martian surface by passive degassing. Icarus.
  • Hamid, S. S., O’Rourke, J. G., & Soderlund, K. M. 2023. A long-lived lunar magnetic field powered by convection in the core and a basal magma ocean. The Planetary Science Journal.