People · Office of the Director
Office of the Director
A rotating office that facilitates CASSA's scientists and supports its students.
The Office
A rotating
office
- Term
- Two years, rotating
- Held by
- A Core Member in A&A
- Mandate
- Facilitation, not leadership
- Supported by
- The Manager (Science)
The Office of the Director is a rotating office, held for two years by a Core Member from Astronomy and Astrophysics. Its role is deliberately modest: it does not lead CASSA. At CASSA, the scientists lead — they direct their own research groups, set the academic agenda, and drive the centre's projects.
The Office exists to make that leadership possible. It facilitates the scientists' work by coordinating shared resources, removing day-to-day obstacles, and keeping the practical machinery of a research centre running smoothly. Working hand in hand with the Manager (Science), the Director looks after the logistics that a growing community depends on — space, equipment, scheduling, and the many small arrangements that would otherwise distract from research.
The Office also supports CASSA's students in their general logistics, helping them find their footing, access the people and tools they need, and take a full part in the life of the centre.
Facilitate the scientists
Coordinate shared resources and clear day-to-day obstacles, so researchers can lead their groups and projects.
Support the students
Help students with their general logistics — finding the people, tools, and footing they need in the centre.
Steward the logistics
With the Manager (Science), keep space, equipment, and scheduling running so science stays the focus.
2025 – 2027
The people holding the office
Current Director
Khan Muhammad Bin Asad
Khan Muhammad Bin Asad is an astrophysicist at CASSA and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Sciences at Independent University, Bangladesh, which he joined in 2020. He earned his PhD in cosmology and radio astronomy from the University of Groningen, working with LOFAR, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, working with MeerKAT, a precursor to the Square Kilometre Array. His research probes the cosmic dawn and reionization through the redshifted 21-cm signal and images diffuse radio halos in galaxy clusters. As principal proposer, he led the effort that established CASSA on 14 August 2025.
Current Manager (Science)
Muhammad Jobair Hasan
Muhammad Jobair Hasan is CASSA's Manager (Science), with a BSc and an MSc in Physics from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST). Working closely with the Office of the Director, he oversees the centre's day-to-day science operations and observatory logistics — the practical backbone that keeps research and teaching moving. His work spans coordinating equipment and facilities, running programmes and events, and supporting researchers and students in their everyday needs. As Manager (Science), he acts as a bridge between the scientists, the students, and the centre's shared resources, making sure CASSA's growing community has the logistical support it needs to concentrate on doing science.