Dr. Cecilia Leung (she/her/hers) is a planetary scientist specializing in the present-day water cycle on Mars. Her research combines the use of 3D numerical atmospheric models and spacecraft observations to study seasonal changes in the Martian climate, and to investigate the conditions leading to the formation of water-ice fogs, clouds, and dust storms. Her work supports the Entry-Descent-and-Landing (EDL) of recent Mars Missions such as the InSight Mars Lander and the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover, as well as instrument development for upcoming missions to various planetary bodies in our solar system.

Dr. Leung received her PhD from the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona, and is currently a NASA postdoctoral fellow at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She is passionate about scientific outreach and promoting interdisciplinary approaches to space exploration. One of the greatest privileges of her career is the opportunities to communicate the joys of planetary exploration with students and space enthusiasts, as well as connecting the relevance of space research and technology development to the benefits in our daily lives.