As a seasoned polar researcher, Prof. Kusiak has long focused on Earth's earliest history, conducting fieldwork primarily in East Antarctica, western Greenland, and northern Labrador. Her expertise lies in isotopic geochemistry and geochronology, with groundbreaking studies on accessory minerals that hold invaluable information about Earth’s formative period, often referred to as "young Earth."

Prof. Kusiak's project, titled “The nature and origin of Earth’s earliest crust: from a Martian and Lunar perspective,” captured the interest of NASA scientists, leading to an invitation for collaborative research with world experts in extraterrestrial materials. During her stay, she will gain access to Martian meteorites, including the renowned NWA specimens known as ‘Black Beauty,’ which date back 4.4 billion years.

At NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Prof. Kusiak joins the team led by Dr. Justin I. Simon. She has also been invited to collaborate with the CASA Moon group, led by Dr. Charles K. Shearer of the Lunar and Planetary Institute. This interdisciplinary team integrates knowledge from the Apollo missions to prepare for the analysis of lunar samples expected from NASA’s Artemis program.

We look forward to seeing Prof. Kusiak and her NASA colleagues tackle critical gaps in our understanding of the formation of Earth, the Moon, and Mars.