School of Geographical & Earth Sciences

Dr Divya Persaud

  • Collaborative Research Fellowship (Earth Sciences)

Biography

I'm a planetary geologist with an interest in developing new ways of using satellite imagery to better understand other worlds, from mission planning and science targeting for surface exploration, to new techniques for studying planetary geology. Additionally, I'm interested in advancing the theoretical basis for using satellite images to study Earth and other planetary bodies. I also investigate the political economy of the space industry.

Education:

  • Ph.D., University College London, 2022
  • B.A., Geology and Music, University of Rochester, NY, 2017

Research interests

Descent imaging: Spacecraft that land on terrestrial planets (such as rovers) often include down-pointing engineering cameras to aid in hazard detection during entry, descent, and landing. However, these cameras provide an opportunity to enhance the scientific investigation by that spacecraft. Further, cost-effective, short-lived spacecraft, such as planetary penetrators, are emerging as concepts that benefit from efficient data collection that is still useful for science. We are investigating scientific imagers as payloads on future ascent/descent spacecraft to support planetary science, combining image simulation to constrain the optical design; first-order prototyping using an emulator mounted on a drone; and validation using the end-use—field geology. We focus on Earth sites as a demonstration, with theoretical applications on Mars and Europa.

Sampling strategy for icy worlds: As we enter a new era of planetary exploration, understanding how to best use limited time, resources, and knowledge to operate planetary spacecraft is essential. I use archival Apollo 16 imagery and other data to investigate sampling strategies for future landed missions on Europa or other icy worlds, previously as part of the project science teams for Europa Clipper and Europa Lander.

Topography on Saturnian and Jovian satellites: Saturn's and Jupiter's icy moons are of interest to astrobiology as potential hosts of subsurface water oceans, whether in the present day or in the past. I'm investigating how to improve the geospatial and imaging techniques typically used to study icy satellite surfaces. I also research how we can better collect and use 2D and 3D images to support scientific research for future missions.

What's in an image? As satellites return record volumes of image data from space, and we use increasingly automated workflows to utilize these images, we are facing a "truth" crisis. How do you verify an image that lacks ground-truth or is processed by a machine? I am developing theoretical and practical approaches to improve satellite image validation for Earth and the solar system.

Geopolitics of space exploration: Space activities are primarily situated here on Earth. I investigate the political economy of the space industry and trace the relationship of space with geopolitics, particularly genocide, war crimes, and human-driven climate change, and how these relationships impact our practice.

Stratigraphy in Gale Crater, Mars: My doctoral work focused on producing quality-assessed, multi-resolution 3D orbital imagery of Gale crater, Mars, and performing 2D mapping and 3D visualization of these datasets to investigate outcrops in Sakarya Vallis, Gale crater, Mars. I was an affiliate with the ExoMars PanCam team.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2026 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021
Number of items: 21.

2026

Brydon, George ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4110-2025 and Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 (2026) Hemispherical descent imaging - an observation concept capable of enabling new planetary surface imaging opportunities. Space Science Reviews, (Accepted for Publication)

de Almeida, Melonie, Brydon, George ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4110-2025, Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579, Williamson, John H. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8085-7853 and Henderson, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5198-7445 (2026) Neural 3D Reconstruction of Planetary Surfaces from Descent-Phase Wide-Angle Imagery. In: AI4Space Workshop at CVPR 26, Denver, CO, USA, 3-7 June 2026, (Accepted for Publication)

2024

Vance, S. D. et al. (2024) Investigating Europa’s habitability with the Europa Clipper. Space Science Reviews, 219(8), 81. (doi: 10.1007/s11214-023-01025-2)

Pappalardo, R. T. et al. (2024) Science overview of the Europa Clipper mission. Space Science Reviews, 220(4), p. 40. (doi: 10.1007/s11214-024-01070-5)

Daubar, I. J. et al. (2024) Planned geological investigations of the Europa Clipper mission. Space Science Reviews, 220, 18. (doi: 10.1007/s11214-023-01036-z)

2023

Persaud, D.M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Phillips, C.B. (2023) How to Sample an Alien World? Lessons for Europa from Apollo 16. 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2023, The Woodlands, Texas, USA, 13-17 Mar 2023. p. 2051.

2022

Cameron, M. E. et al. (2022) Science-driven Preparations for Europa Surface Operations. AGU Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL., USA, 12-16 December 2022.

Phillips, Cynthia B., Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Hand, Kevin P. (2022) Correlation of Surface and Subsurface Properties when Choosing a Sampling Site: Applications from Mars and the Moon to Sampling Locations on Europa and Other Ocean Worlds. AGU Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL, USA, 12-16 December 2022.

Persaud, Divya ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Barnes, Robert (2022) Morpho-Stratigraphy of Sakarya Vallis, Gale Crater, Mars: A Virtual Outcrop Study. 54th meeting of the AAS Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS), London, Canada, 2–7 October 2022. pp. 503-01.

Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Armstrong, E.S. (2022) Space Science in Context: Lessons Learned and Recommendations for IDEA Practice and Beyond. Advancing IDEA in Planetary Science 2022, 25-29 Aug 2022.

Rivera-Valentin, Edgard G., Lynch, Kennda L. and Working Group (2022) A Consensus Report on Recommendations from the 2022 Advancing IDEA in Planetary Science Conference. Documentation. Zenodo. (doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6656887).

Korth, H. et al. (2022) Europa Clipper Mission Update. EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022. EGU22-6052. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-6052)

Cameron, M. E. et al. (2022) Destination Europa: Science-driven Preparations for Touching an Unknown Surface. 2022 Astrobiology Science Conference, Atlanta, GA, USA, 15-20 May 2022.

Phillips, Cynthia B., Scully, Jennifer E.C., Cameron, Marissa Elizabeth, Craft, Kathleen L., Grima, Cyril, Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Hand, Kevin P. (2022) A Reconnaissance Strategy for Landing on Europa, Based on Europa Clipper Data. 2022 Astrobiology Science Conference, Atlanta, GA, USA, 15-20 May 2022.

Scully, Jennifer EC, Phillips, Cynthia B., Cameron, Marissa Elizabeth, Craft, Kathleen L., Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579, Grima, Cyril and Hand, Kevin P. (2022) Applying Lessons Learned from Previous Planetary Missions to Reconnaissance and Landing Site Selection for the Europa Lander Mission Concept. 2022 Astrobiology Science Conference, Atlanta, GA, USA, 15-20 May 2022.

Cameron, M.E. et al. (2022) Science-Driven Preparations for Landing on Europa. In: 53rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 7–11 March 2022, p. 2470.

Scully, J.E.C., Phillips, C.B., Cameron, M.E., Craft, K., Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579, Grima, C. and Hand, K.P. (2022) The Application of Lessons Learned from Previous Landing and/or Sampling Missions to the Europa Lander Mission Concept. 53rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC2022), Houston, TX, USA, 7-11 March 2022.

Pappalardo, RT, Howell, SM, Korth, H., Craft, K., Daubar, I., Klima, R., Matiella Novak, A., Persaud, Divya ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579, Phillips, C. and and the Europa Clipper Science Team (2022) Europa Clipper: Mission Status and Update. In: 53rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 7–11 March 2022, p. 2710.

2021

Howell, S. et al. (2021) Europa Clipper: Mission Status and Update. AGU Fall Meeting 2021, New Orleans, LA, USA, 13-17 Dec 2021.

Brydon, G. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4110-2025, Persaud, D.M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Jones, G.H. (2021) Planetary topography measurement by descent stereophotogrammetry. Planetary and Space Science, 202, 105242. (doi: 10.1016/j.pss.2021.105242)

Xiong, Siting, Tao, Yu, Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579, Campbell, Jacqueline D., Putri, Alfiah Rizky Diana and Muller, Jan‐Peter (2021) Subsurface reflectors detected by SHARAD reveal stratigraphy and buried channels over Central Elysium Planitia, Mars. Earth and Space Science, 8(1), e2019EA000968. (doi: 10.1029/2019EA000968)

This list was generated on Mon Nov 9 11:06:02 2026 GMT.
Jump to: Articles | Research Reports or Papers | Conference or Workshop Item | Conference Proceedings
Number of items: 21.

Articles

Brydon, George ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4110-2025 and Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 (2026) Hemispherical descent imaging - an observation concept capable of enabling new planetary surface imaging opportunities. Space Science Reviews, (Accepted for Publication)

Vance, S. D. et al. (2024) Investigating Europa’s habitability with the Europa Clipper. Space Science Reviews, 219(8), 81. (doi: 10.1007/s11214-023-01025-2)

Pappalardo, R. T. et al. (2024) Science overview of the Europa Clipper mission. Space Science Reviews, 220(4), p. 40. (doi: 10.1007/s11214-024-01070-5)

Daubar, I. J. et al. (2024) Planned geological investigations of the Europa Clipper mission. Space Science Reviews, 220, 18. (doi: 10.1007/s11214-023-01036-z)

Brydon, G. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4110-2025, Persaud, D.M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Jones, G.H. (2021) Planetary topography measurement by descent stereophotogrammetry. Planetary and Space Science, 202, 105242. (doi: 10.1016/j.pss.2021.105242)

Xiong, Siting, Tao, Yu, Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579, Campbell, Jacqueline D., Putri, Alfiah Rizky Diana and Muller, Jan‐Peter (2021) Subsurface reflectors detected by SHARAD reveal stratigraphy and buried channels over Central Elysium Planitia, Mars. Earth and Space Science, 8(1), e2019EA000968. (doi: 10.1029/2019EA000968)

Research Reports or Papers

Rivera-Valentin, Edgard G., Lynch, Kennda L. and Working Group (2022) A Consensus Report on Recommendations from the 2022 Advancing IDEA in Planetary Science Conference. Documentation. Zenodo. (doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6656887).

Conference or Workshop Item

Persaud, D.M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Phillips, C.B. (2023) How to Sample an Alien World? Lessons for Europa from Apollo 16. 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2023, The Woodlands, Texas, USA, 13-17 Mar 2023. p. 2051.

Cameron, M. E. et al. (2022) Science-driven Preparations for Europa Surface Operations. AGU Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL., USA, 12-16 December 2022.

Phillips, Cynthia B., Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Hand, Kevin P. (2022) Correlation of Surface and Subsurface Properties when Choosing a Sampling Site: Applications from Mars and the Moon to Sampling Locations on Europa and Other Ocean Worlds. AGU Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL, USA, 12-16 December 2022.

Persaud, Divya ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Barnes, Robert (2022) Morpho-Stratigraphy of Sakarya Vallis, Gale Crater, Mars: A Virtual Outcrop Study. 54th meeting of the AAS Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS), London, Canada, 2–7 October 2022. pp. 503-01.

Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Armstrong, E.S. (2022) Space Science in Context: Lessons Learned and Recommendations for IDEA Practice and Beyond. Advancing IDEA in Planetary Science 2022, 25-29 Aug 2022.

Korth, H. et al. (2022) Europa Clipper Mission Update. EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022. EGU22-6052. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-6052)

Cameron, M. E. et al. (2022) Destination Europa: Science-driven Preparations for Touching an Unknown Surface. 2022 Astrobiology Science Conference, Atlanta, GA, USA, 15-20 May 2022.

Phillips, Cynthia B., Scully, Jennifer E.C., Cameron, Marissa Elizabeth, Craft, Kathleen L., Grima, Cyril, Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579 and Hand, Kevin P. (2022) A Reconnaissance Strategy for Landing on Europa, Based on Europa Clipper Data. 2022 Astrobiology Science Conference, Atlanta, GA, USA, 15-20 May 2022.

Scully, Jennifer EC, Phillips, Cynthia B., Cameron, Marissa Elizabeth, Craft, Kathleen L., Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579, Grima, Cyril and Hand, Kevin P. (2022) Applying Lessons Learned from Previous Planetary Missions to Reconnaissance and Landing Site Selection for the Europa Lander Mission Concept. 2022 Astrobiology Science Conference, Atlanta, GA, USA, 15-20 May 2022.

Scully, J.E.C., Phillips, C.B., Cameron, M.E., Craft, K., Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579, Grima, C. and Hand, K.P. (2022) The Application of Lessons Learned from Previous Landing and/or Sampling Missions to the Europa Lander Mission Concept. 53rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC2022), Houston, TX, USA, 7-11 March 2022.

Howell, S. et al. (2021) Europa Clipper: Mission Status and Update. AGU Fall Meeting 2021, New Orleans, LA, USA, 13-17 Dec 2021.

Conference Proceedings

de Almeida, Melonie, Brydon, George ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4110-2025, Persaud, Divya M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579, Williamson, John H. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8085-7853 and Henderson, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5198-7445 (2026) Neural 3D Reconstruction of Planetary Surfaces from Descent-Phase Wide-Angle Imagery. In: AI4Space Workshop at CVPR 26, Denver, CO, USA, 3-7 June 2026, (Accepted for Publication)

Cameron, M.E. et al. (2022) Science-Driven Preparations for Landing on Europa. In: 53rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 7–11 March 2022, p. 2470.

Pappalardo, RT, Howell, SM, Korth, H., Craft, K., Daubar, I., Klima, R., Matiella Novak, A., Persaud, Divya ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-7579, Phillips, C. and and the Europa Clipper Science Team (2022) Europa Clipper: Mission Status and Update. In: 53rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 7–11 March 2022, p. 2710.

This list was generated on Mon Nov 9 11:06:02 2026 GMT.

Prior publications

Article

Divya M Persaud, George F Brydon (2026) A concept for hemispherical descent imaging for planetary science Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/epsc2026-160)

Divya M Persaud, Sahba El-Shawa, Aj Link, Giuliana Rotola (2026) Embedding Political Education in Science Communication Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/epsc2026-252)

Divya M Persaud, Sahba El-Shawa, Aj Link, Giuliana Rotola (2026) Political Education in Science: Two Years of Palestine Space Institute Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu26-21981)

Divya M. Persaud (2025) Outlaw Geology at the End of the World Avery Review Divya M. Persaud.

Divya M Persaud, Cynthia B Phillips, Kevin P Hand (2025) Legacies and Lessons: Learning from Apollo 16 and 17 sampling for future autonomous planetary exploration Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20197)

Divya M. Persaud, Eleanor Armstrong (2024) Report from Space Science in Context 2023: Our efforts to bring STS approaches to Outer Space to a wider community EASST Review Divya M. Persaud.

Palacios-Berraquero, Carmen, Mueck, Leonie, Persaud, Divya M (2019) Instead of'supremacy'use'quantum advantage' Nature Divya M. Persaud. (doi: 10.1038/d41586-019-03781-0)

Conference Proceedings

Divya M. Persaud, George Brydon (2026) Hemispherical Descent Imaging: A Planetary Science Observation Technique Suitable for Small, Low-Cost Probes British Planetary Science Conference Divya M. Persaud.

Sahba El-Shawa, Divya M Persaud (2025) Witnessing with Earth Observation: Using Sentinel-2 Data to Assess Environmental Destruction in Gaza 76th International Astronautical Congress Divya M. Persaud. (doi: 10.5281/ZENODO.17449112)

Divya M. Persaud, Sahba El-Shawa, AJ Link (2025) Spacewashing and the Military-Industrial Complex: A Proposed Framework & Case Study Contemporary Developments in Space Ethics Conference Divya M. Persaud.

Sahba El-Shawa, Divya M Persaud (2024) The Palestine Space Institute: Disrupting a Culture of Space Militarism, Colonialism, and Imperialism 75th International Astronautical Congress Divya M. Persaud. (doi: 10.5281/ZENODO.17186139)

(2020) Access-centred virtual conferencing for planetary science and beyond: reflections from Space Science in Context 2020 Europlanet Sceince Congress Divya M. Persaud. (doi: 10.5194/epsc2020-211)

Jackson, C.A.-L., Armstrong, E.S., Persaud, D.M. (2020) Redefining the scientific conference Physics World Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 09538585 20587058 (doi: 10.1088/2058-7058/33/10/22)

Persaud, Divya M, Tao, Yu, Muller, Jan-Peter (2019) Multi-Resolution, Nested Orbital 3D Images of Gale Crater for Fused MSL Rover-Orbital Image Simulations EPSC-DPS meeting, EPSC-DPS2019-1540 Divya M. Persaud.

(2016) HOMER: a smallsat ground penetrating radar sounding fleet to map planetary surfaces at high resolution 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2016) Divya M. Persaud.

Other

Divya M. Persaud, Eleanor Armstrong (2023) Five reflections on co-organising Space Science in Context 2023 Society for Social Studies of Science Divya M. Persaud.

Divya M. Persaud (2022) 3D imagery to support planetary exploration Institute for Risk and Uncertainty, University of Liverpool Divya M. Persaud.

Mueck, L., Palacios-Berraquero, C., Persaud, D.M. (2020) Towards a quantum advantage Physics World Scopus - Elsevier. ISSN 09538585 (doi: 10.1088/2058-7058/33/2/25)

Divya M. Persaud, Divya M. Persaud, Yu Tao, Jan-Peter Muller (2019) CASP-GO - User Manual Divya M. Persaud.

Thesis

Divya M. Persaud (2022) On Multi-Resolution 3D Orbital Imagery and Visualisation for Mars Geological Analysis Divya M. Persaud.

Dataset

Divya M. Persaud, Alfiah Diana Rizky Putri, Jan-Peter Muller (2021) 30-m HRSC DTM Mosaic of Gale Crater, Mars Divya M. Persaud. (doi: 10.5281/ZENODO.5808354)

Divya M. Persaud, Yu Tao (2021) CTX DTM and ORI Mosaics over Sakarya Vallis, Gale Crater, Mars Divya M. Persaud. (doi: 10.5281/ZENODO.5808357)

Divya M. Persaud (2021) Co-registered U. Arizona HiRISE DTM and ORI over Sakarya Vallis, Gale Crater, Mars Divya M. Persaud. (doi: 10.5281/ZENODO.5808371)

Divya M. Persaud (2021) Multi-Resolution Basemap of Northwest Aeolis Mons, Gale Crater, Mars Divya M. Persaud. (doi: 10.5281/ZENODO.5808381)

Divya M. Persaud, Robert Barnes (2021) Unit Map and Dips/Strikes of Sakarya Vallis, Gale Crater, Mars Divya M. Persaud. (doi: 10.5281/ZENODO.5819267)

European Space Agency (2021) _UCL-MSSL_Mars-CEP_CTX-HiRISE_V1.0 _UCL-MSSL_Mars-CEP_CTX-HiRISE_V1.0 Divya M. Persaud. (doi: 10.5270/esa-lqefjdl)

Conference item

(2015) Subsurface Feature Mapping of Mars using a High Resolution Ground Penetrating Radar System American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2015 Divya M. Persaud.

(2014) Methods of Estimating Initial Crater Depths on Icy Satellites using Stereo Topography American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2014 Divya M. Persaud.

Grants

2025 Paneth Meteorite Trust Award Royal Astronomical Society  
2024 13th SAGES Small Grants Scheme Award SAGES  
2024 Rewards for Excellence University of Glasgow  
2023 STFC Planetary Surfaces Summer School STFC  
2021 Meetings grant, PI Royal Astronomical Society Space Science in Context 2023
2020 Research-led Initiative Award, PI University College London Space Science in Context 2020

Professional activities & recognition

Prizes, awards & distinctions

  • 2025: President's Medal (Geological Society of London)
  • 2021: Meetings Fund (Royal Astronomical Society)
  • 2020: Researcher-led Initiative Award (University College London)
  • 2018: Elizabeth Puchnarewicz Award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Outreach (University College London)

Professional & learned societies

  • 2024: Research Manager, Palestine Space Institute
  • 2023 - 2025: Communications Lead, Space Generation Advisory Council, Ethics and Human Rights
  • 2021 - 2023: Vice Chair of the Board, JustSpace Alliance
  • 2021: Member, AAS Division of Planetary Sciences
  • 2021: Member, Royal Astronomical Society
  • 2019: Member, Institute of Physics
  • 2019: Member, European Geosciences Union
  • 2019: Member, Europlanet Society
  • 2014: Member, American Geophysical Union

Selected international presentations

  • 2026: Eurac Research (Italy)
  • 2025: Howard University School of Law (United States)
  • 2024: Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism, Carleton University (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
  • 2024: Black Space Week (Washington, D.C., US)
  • 2022: 54th Annual Meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences (London, Ontario, Canada)
  • 2022: Death Valley Dark Sky Festival (Death Valley National Park, US)
  • 2021: NASA Space Apps Challenge NYC (New York City, US)
  • 2021: 42nd Toronto International Festival of Authors (Toronto, Canada)
  • 2020: Women in Space (Canada)
  • 2020: The Future of Meetings (Australia)