Gaia Stucky de Quay

Gaia Stucky de Quay is an Assistant Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), appointed to the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) in 2023. She holds the Peter Puster (1995) and Paula Waschbusch (1994) Career Development Professorship, effective January 1, 2025. Her research investigates the driving forces behind the formation, evolution, and decay of planetary surfaces across the solar system, with particular focus on Mars and Earth analogs.

Dr. Stucky de Quay's research interests span planetary surface processes including fluvial systems, lakes & hydrology, volcanic terrains, glaciated landforms, icy satellites, uplift & dynamic support, climate-land links, and landscape evolution. She employs a multi-faceted approach combining theoretical studies, field work, remote sensing, and laboratory analyses to quantify the interactions between fluvial erosion, climate, and tectonics across various spatial and temporal scales. Her work seeks to understand whether Mars had conditions suitable for life by examining ancient river systems and lake formations.

Her publication record demonstrates expertise in Martian paleoclimate studies, with significant contributions to understanding precipitation constraints from paleolakes on Mars and the persistence of climate-driven runoff in Mars' history. She also conducts important research on Earth's post-glacial landscape evolution, particularly in Iceland, which serves as an analog for understanding Martian surface processes.

• Early Career Grant, British Society for Geomorphology (2020)
• Ralph Brown Expedition Award, Royal Geographical Society (2020)

Dr. Stucky de Quay's research bridges Earth and planetary sciences, with implications for understanding both planetary habitability and natural hazards on Earth. Her lab investigates volcanic islands as accessible analogs for Martian terrain, examining how climate shapes landscapes over geological time. She is building a research group focused on planetary analog studies that transfers knowledge between different planetary bodies while integrating multiple techniques from field work to computational analysis.