About

About me

I am completing my final year as a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow PhD candidate in Dr. Nancy Chanover's research group in the Department of Astronomy at New Mexico State University. My dissertation topic is on the characterization of biosignatures in subterranean rocks using a suite of in situ instrumentation techniques. I have participated in other research projects as well, including the optimization of a two-step laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometer for the detection of organics, the development of a portable IR spectrometer, the analysis of a stellar occultation by Neptune, and an evaluation of the solar system observing capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope.

My CV may be found here.

Education

PhD candidate: Astronomy
Minor: Electrical & Computer Engineering
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
expected: August, 2016

MS: Astronomy
Minor: Electrical & Computer Engineering
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
April, 2013

BS: Astrophysics
Minor: Mathematics
Ohio University, Athens, OH
June, 2010

Recent Awards

NASA Space Technology Research Fellow
2013 - 2016

Barry Neil Rappaport Endowed Memorial Scholarship Award
October, 2015

A. Scott Murrell Memorial Endowed Scholarship
May, 2014

College of Arts & Sciences 3 Minute Thesis Competition: 1st Place
April, 2014

Computing Skills

Programming Languages: python, IDL, Matlab, Latex, HTML, CSS, C/C++, Fortran, LabVIEW, JavaScript

Operating Systems: Mac OSX, Windows, Unix, Linux

Tools & Technologies: Git, Microsoft Office, Tkinter, OpenOffice, Android SDK, Eclipse IDE, SPICE

Recent Peer-Reviewed Publications

A complete publication list is available in my CV and Google Scholar profile.

K. Uckert, S. Getty, A. Grubisec, X. Li, W. B. Brinckerhoff, N. J. Chanover. IR Resonance Enhanced Organic Detection with a Two-Step Laser Desorption Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer. In Preparation.

K. Uckert, N. J. Chanover, S. Getty, D. G. Voelz, W. B. Brinckerhoff, N. McMillan, X. Xiao, P. J. Boston, X. Li, A. McAdam, D. A. Glenar, A. Chavez. The Characterization of Biosignatures in Cave Samples using a suite of in situ Instrument Techniques I: Calcium Carbonate. In Preparation.

K. Uckert, N. J. Chanover, S. Getty, D. G. Voelz, W. B. Brinckerhoff, N. McMillan, X. Xiao, P. J. Boston, X. Li, A. McAdam, D. A. Glenar, A. Chavez. The Characterization of Biosignatures in Cave Samples using a suite of in situ Instrument Techniques II: Gypsum, Mn Oxide, & Sulfur. In Preparation.

K. Uckert, N. J. Chanover, D. G. Voelz, X. Xiao, P. J. Boston, D. A. Glenar. Demonstration of a portable AOTF IR spectrometer for in situ exploration of planetary surfaces. Aerospace Conference, 2015 IEEE, pp 1-9, March 2015.

X. Li, K. Uckert, S. Getty, A. Grubisic, W. Brinckerhoff, T. Cornish, S. Ecelberger, N. Chanover. Analysis of aqueous environments by laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Aerospace Conference, 2015 IEEE, pp 1-10, March 2015.

K. Uckert, N. J. Chanover, C. B. Olkin, L. A. Young, H. B. Hammel, C. Miller, J. M. Bauer. An investigation of the temperature variations in Neptune's upper stratosphere including a July 2008 stellar occultation event. Icarus, Vol. 232, pp 22-33, April 2014.

K. Uckert, N. J. Chanover, S. Getty, W. B. Brinckerhoff, X. Li, M. Floyd, D. G. Voelz, X. Xifeng, R. Tawalbeh, N. McMillan, A. Chavez, P. J. Boston, D. A. Glenar, S. Ecelberger, and T. Cornish. A comparative study of in situ biosignature detection spectroscopy techniques on planetary surfaces. Aerospace Conference, 2014 IEEE, pp 1-12, March 2014.

F. Alibay, P. Fernandes, R. McGranaghan, J. Leonard, R. Clegg, P. Craig, M. Day, N. Fougere, Z. Girazian, S. Hosseini, M. Hutchins, J. Scully, K. Uckert, M. Malaska, A. Patthoff, P. Ries, C. Budney, K. Mitchell. Design of a low cost mission to the Neptunian system. Aerospace Conference, 2014 IEEE, pp 1-19, March 2014.