Ved Chirayath

I am a National Geographic Explorer and the G. Unger Vetlesen Professor of Earth Sciences, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. I direct the Aircraft Center for Earth Studies (ACES) at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric & Earth Science. My research focuses on inventing, developing, and testing next-generation sensing technologies for studying the natural world. Ultimately, my aim is to extend our capabilities for studying and protecting life on Earth as well as aid in the search for life elsewhere in the universe. I am the inventor of FluidCam, fluid lensing, MiDAR, NeMO-Net, and a plasma-actuated drone.
I grew up in Southern California with a passion for NASA’s mission and space exploration. In 2003, a sophomore in high school, I modified a consumer digital camera and telescope to successfully detect an extra-solar planet, 150 light years away and roughly twice the size of Jupiter. Since then, my research interests have relied on the intersection of multiple disciplines including aeronautics, astrophysics, earth sciences, engineering, and optics. Formerly, I directed the NASA Laboratory for Advanced Sensing (LAS) as a tenured civil servant at NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, CA for ten years. In 2024, I was selected as a Moore Inventor Fellow. In 2021, I was one of 30 finalists of 12,000 applicants for the NASA Astronaut Candidate Class of 2021. In 2020, I received the AGU Falkenberg Award for “contributions to the quality of life, economic opportunities, and stewardship of the planet through the use of Earth science information and to the public awareness of the importance of understanding our planet.” In 2019, my MiDAR invention was awarded a NASA Invention of the Year. In 2017, I received the NASA Early Career Award in recognition of “significant advances in aquatic remote sensing technology.” I am the recipient of the NASA Equal Employment Opportunity Medal for my work in diversity, equity, and inclusion.