He conducted research and trained undergraduate and post-graduate students for nine years in academia prior to joining the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1987.

[4] In 1987 Asrar moved to NASA Headquarters as a Distinguished Visiting Scientist through the California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

In this role he led a team developing scientific priorities and measurement objectives for a series of advanced Earth-orbiting satellites investigating connections between Earth's land, oceans, cryosphere and atmosphere.

In this expanded capacity Asrar oversaw the development and launch of satellites and robotic missions exploring the entire solar system.

In Dec 2013 Asrar moved to become Director of the Joint Global Research Institute, a partnership between the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Maryland.