The Host Galaxies of Micro-Jansky Radio Sources
Luchsinger, K. M. et al. (2015). "The Host Galaxies of Micro-Jansky Radio Sources." The Astronomical Journal. Volume 150, Issue 3, article id. 87, 11.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Astronomy, New Mexico State University, December 2022
- Dissertation: “The Deposition, Retention, and Disruption of Water Ice at the Lunar Poles Across Temporal and Spatial Scales”
- Advisor: Dr. Nancy Chanover
- Master of Arts (M.A.) in Astronomy, Wesleyan University, 2017
- Thesis: “Blue Skies Through a Blue Sky: An Attempt To Detect Rayleigh Scattering in the Atmospheres of Extrasolar Planets From a Ground-Based Telescope”
- & Advisor: Dr. Seth Redfield
- Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts, St. John’s College, 2015
- Majors: History of Math and Science, Philosophy
- Minors: Classical Studies, Comparative Literature
- Thesis: ``The Role of Beauty in Science as seen in the Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen Paper and Responses to it Within the Context of Quantum Theory’’
- Advisor: Dr. James Beall
Work experience
- NASA Ames, Postdoctoral Researcher, 2023-2025
- Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Heldmann
- Identified intermediate size craters with “missing” volatile signatures within Cabeus crater using a novel collection of multiple volatile-detecting datasets.
- New Mexico State University, Graduate Teaching Assistant, 2017-2022
- Head TA, fall 2021
- ASTR 1120G, The Planets, Fall 2019, Spring 2020 (hybrid), Spring 2021 (online)
- ASTR 1115G, Introduction to Astronomy, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2020 (online), Fall 2021
- ASTR 308V, Into the Final Frontier, Spring 2022
- ASTR 305V, Life in the Universe, Fall 2022
- NASA Planetary Data System, Atmospheres Node, Graduate Assistant, 2019-2022
- Migration of Cassini CIRS and LADEE NMS label files from PDS3 to PDS4
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Exploration Science Summer Intern, 2021
- Advisor: Dr. David Kring
- Modeling stratigraphy of lunar water ice and ejecta
- New Mexico State University, Graduate Research Assistant, 2017-2019
- Advisor: Dr. Nancy Chanover
- Project: LCROSS modeling and analysis of ground-based observations
- Wesleyan University, Graduate Teaching Assistant, 2016-2017
- ASTR 155, Introduction to Astrophysics, Fall 2015\
- ASTR 103, The Planets, Spring 2015 and 2016 \
- ASTR 105, Exploring the Cosmos, Fall 2016\
- Wesleyan University, Graduate Research Assistant, 2016-2017
- Advisor: Dr. Seth Redfield
- Project: Rayleigh scattering in exoplanet atmospheres
- St. John’s College, Astronomy Assistant, 2014-2015
- Advisor: Dr. James Beall
- Planetarium and observatory operator\
- National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2014
- Advisor: Dr. Mark Lacy
- Project: Submillimeter radio emission in distant galaxies
Awards and Fellowships
Outstanding Graduate Award, College of Arts and Sciences, New Mexico State University, 2022
Pegasus Award Recognizing Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Student, Astronomy Department, New Mexico State University, 2022
SSERVI Student Poster Award, Third Place, NASA Exploration and Science Forum, 2020
New Mexico Space Grant Graduate Research Fellowship, Funding awarded for the Spring and Fall 2018 semesters; renewed for the Spring and Fall 2019 semesters.
Chambliss Award for Poster Presentation, 225th AAS Meeting, 2015
Publications
Water within a permanently shadowed lunar crater: Further LCROSS modeling and analysis
Luchsinger, Kristen M., Chanover, Nancy J., & Strycker, Paul D. (2021). "Water within a permanently shadowed lunar crater: Further LCROSS modeling and analysis " Icarus. Volume 354, article id. 114089.
Seasons of Ice: Water Ice Migration and Seasonal Transient Shadow at the Lunar Poles
Luchsinger, Kristen M. & Chanover, Nancy J. (2022). "Seasons of Ice: Water Ice Migration and Seasonal Transient Shadow at the Lunar Poles." JGR - Planets.. 127, 10.
Buried Ice Deposits in Lunar Polar Cold Traps were Disrupted by Ballistic Sedimentation
C. J. Tai Udovicic, K. R. Frizzell, G. R. L. Kodikara, M. Kopp, K. M. Luchsinger, A. Madera, M. L. Meier, T. G. Paladino, R. V. Patterson, F. B. Wroblewski, D. A. Kring (2023). "Buried Ice Deposits in Lunar Polar Cold Traps were Disrupted by Ballistic Sedimentation" JGR - Planets.. doi: 10.1029/2022JE007567
Surface and Near-Surface Volatile Suppression in 5 - 15 Kilometer Diameter Craters within Cabeus Crater Suggestive of Impact Gardening Dredge-Up Origin for Surface Ice Deposits on the Moon
Luchsinger, K. M., Heldmann, J. L. & Colaprete, A. (2025). "Surface and Near-Surface Volatile Suppression in 5 - 15 Kilometer Diameter Craters within Cabeus Crater Suggestive of Impact Gardening Dredge-Up Origin for Surface Ice Deposits on the Moon" JGR - Planets. Submitted, Under Review 2025
Talks
Poster Presentations
Conference proceedings talk at American Astronomical Society Meeting, Seattle, WA
Poster and Oral Presentations
Talk at Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX
Poster Presentation
Conference proceedings talk at Division of Planetary Science Meeting, Knoxville, TN
Poster Presetations
Poster at NASA Exploration Science Forum, San Jose, CA
Virtual Presentation
Talk at Friends of Lunar Volatiles, Virtual
Teaching
Department and Professional Service
- Graduate Curriculum Committee, New Mexico State University, 2021-2022
- Represented the graduate student body of the Astronomy department at NMSU on a committee examining and proposing changes to the graduate curriculum.
- Astronomy Graduate Student Organization (AGSO) Officer, 2018-2022
- Served as an elected officer in the NMSU Astronomy Graduate Student Organization, holding the position of ``Tea Time Overlord’’. My duties included organizing and running weekly tea times, and transitioning and maintaining the event in a virtual format throughout the pandemic.
Organizing Committee, LunGradCon, 2022
Executive Secretary, NASA Review Panel, 2021
- Note taker, Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) meeting, 2020
- Breakout session note taker for Lunar Surface Science Workshop Outbriefs and Breakout Discussions, Volatiles Room
- Cientifico Latino Graduate School Mentorship Initiative (CL GSMI) Mentor, 2020-2021
- Served as a mentor to two students applying to astronomy graduate programs.
- Peer Mentor, New Mexico State University, 2018-2021
- Served as a peer mentor for three incoming graduate students.
- Mentor, New Mexico State University Astronomy Undergrad Mentoring Program, 2021
- Served as a graduate student mentor to one undergraduate student in the Astronomy minor.
- Graduate Student Vision Committee, Wesleyan University, 2016-2017
- Represented the Astronomy Department in a committee of graduate students working to articulate the vision of the Wesleyan Graduate Program.