Faculty

Professor Tomohiro Usui

Professor of Planetary Science

Research Interests: Evolution of chemistry, distribution and inventory of water on Mars; robotic planetary exploration; sample return missions.
[website]

Assistant Professor Haruna Sugahara

Assistant Professor of Planetary Science

Research Interests: Evolution of organic molecules in the universe, Origins of life, Extraterrestrial life, Extraterrestrial delivery of biomolecules to the early Earth, Shock chemistry, Isotopic fractionation of light elements, Sample return missions, In situ analysis at planetary exploration.
[ResearchGate]

Assistant Professor Ryota Fukai

Assistant Professor of Planetary Science

Research Interests: Early solar system, galactic chemical evolution, early differentiation of planets, development of new technique in mass spectrometry.
[website]

Postdoctoral Scholars

Dr. Haruhisa Tabata

JAXA Aerospace Project Research Associate (MMX)

Research Interests: Surface evolution and early environments of rocky planets; Planetary system science (couplings between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere); Exploration of elementary processes in physical chemistry by laboratory experiments; Development of scientific instruments for space missions (Mars (MMX), Moon (LEAD))

[website] [Google Scholar]

Dr. Yudai Suzuki

JSPS PD Research Fellow

Research Interests: Direct link between exospheres and surfaces especially on "Suisei" (Mercury and comets); design and development of optical instruments; Hisaki, BepiColombo, Comet Interceptor and LAPYUTA projects.

[website] [Google Scholar]

Graduate Students

Kaori Hirata

Earth and Planetary Science (D3)

Research Interests: Chemical composition of endogenic/exogenic material on Mercury; remote sensing data analysis (especially gamma-ray, neutrons, and X-ray spectroscopy).

[website] [Google Scholar]