Ali Bramson, assistant professor of earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, is one of two recipients of the 2026 Harold C. Urey Prize from the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences. The prize recognizes outstanding achievements in planetary science by an early-career scientist.
A Purdue faculty member since 2020, Dr. Bramson was honored for her groundbreaking research that has fundamentally redefined our understanding of subsurface ice on Mars. Her work has helped reveal massive, widespread buried ice deposits at Martian mid-latitudes, changing how scientists think about the planet’s climate history and helping shape priorities for future Mars exploration.
Dr. Bramson earned her bachelor’s degree in physics and astronomy with a certificate in computer science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in planetary sciences with a minor in geosciences from the University of Arizona. Before joining the Purdue faculty, she completed postdoctoral research with the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona.