Christian J. Tai Udovicic

Northern Arizona University

Ph.D. Astronomy and Planetary Science • 2022

Diss.: Eau Claire de la Lune: Clarifying the Origin and Distribution of Water on the Moon

University of Toronto

Hon. B.Sc. Planetary Science and Physics (Cum Laude) • 2017

Thesis: Lunar Surface Maturity in Optical Maturity and Rock Abundance

Costello, E. S., Tai Udovicic, C. J., Sun, L., Lucey, P. G. (2026), "The Rapidly Evolving Surface of Asteroid 4 Vesta Revealed by Rayed Craters and Optical Maturity", Icarus, 454, 117075. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2026.117075

Tai Udovicic, Christian J., Essunfeld, Ari, Costello, Emily S. (2025), "Craterpy: Impact Crater Data Science in Python", Journal of Open Source Software, 10(113), 8663. https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.08663

Costello, E. S., et al. including Tai Udovicic, C. J. (2025), "Cosmic Rays and the Askaryan Effect Reveal Subsurface Structure and Buried Ice on the Moon", Geophysical Research Letters, 52(6), e2024GL113304. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113304

Wieczorek, Mark A., et al. including Tai Udovicic, C J (2025), "Planetary Research -a Diamond Open Access Journal for Planetary Science", ESS Open Archive. https://doi.org/10.22541/essoar.174526273.38397330/v1

Phillips, Michael S., Tai Udovicic, Christian J., Moersch, Jeffrey E., Basu, Udit, Hamilton, Christopher W. (2024), "HyPyRameter: A Python Toolbox to Calculate Spectral Parameters from Hyperspectral Reflectance Data", The Planetary Science Journal, 5(11), 258. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad81f8

Tai Udovicic, C. J., Frizzell, K. R., et al. (2023), "Buried Ice Deposits in Lunar Polar Cold Traps Were Disrupted by Ballistic Sedimentation", Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 128(5), e2022JE007567. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JE007567

Jordan, A. P., Shusterman, M. L., Tai Udovicic, C. J. (2022), "Modeling the Production of Submicroscopic Iron in the Lunar Highlands", Icarus, 387, 115184. https://doi.org/10/grwr42

Farrand, William H., Edwards, Christopher S., Tai Udovicic, Christian J. (2022), "Spectral Evidence for a Pyroclastic Mantle over the Tacquet Formation and Menelaus Domes of Southwest Mare Serenitatis", Icarus, 382, 115021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115021

McKeeby, B. E., Ramsey, M. S., Tai Udovicic, C. J., Haberle, C., Edwards, C. S. (2022), "Quantifying Sub-Meter Surface Heterogeneity on Mars Using Off-Axis Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) Data", Earth and Space Science, 9(10), e2022EA002430. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002430

Tai Udovicic, C. J., Costello, E. S., Ghent, R. R., Edwards, C. S. (2021), "New Constraints on the Lunar Optical Space Weathering Rate", Geophysical Research Letters, 48(14). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL092198

Diniega, Serina, et al. including Tai Udovicic, Christian (2021), "Ensuring a Safe and Equitable Workspace: The Importance and Feasibility of a Code of Conduct, along with Clear Policies Regarding Authorship and Team Membership", Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.3847/25c2cfeb.414c64ae

Ghent, R. R., Carter, L. M., Bandfield, J. L., Tai Udovicic, C. J., Campbell, B. A. (2016), "Lunar Crater Ejecta: Physical Properties Revealed by Radar and Thermal Infrared Observations", Icarus, 273, 182–195. https://doi.org/10/f8n4jm

MoonPIES

Lead developer • 2021 — Present

Moon Polar Ice and Ejecta Stratigraphy model.

Roughness

Lead developer • 2020 — Present

Predict illumination on rough planetary surfaces.

Scientific Programming In Real Life (SPIRL)

Author / Instructor • 2019 — Present

Practical Python, Git and Bash for scientists in a hurry.

Craterpy

Lead developer • 2016 — Present

Impact crater data science in Python.

Plutopy

Open source advocate • 2018

Learn Git and GitHub the hands-on way.

52nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) • 2021

Modeling the Effects of Basin Impacts and Ballistic Sedimentation on Ice in Lunar Cold Traps (Talk #1528 )

Geological Society of America (GSA) • 2021

Predicting Emitted Radiance of Rough Lunar Surfaces to Inform Volatile Distribution (Talk #108-7 )

American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting • 2020

The lunar space weathering rate: dichotomies in agents and products (Poster #P054-0007 )

51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) • 2020

Testing Lunar Near-Infrared Corrections with Diviner Observations (Poster #2632 )

American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting • 2019

Validating a Lunar Roughness-Based Thermal Correction with Diviner Temperature Observations (Poster #P33F-3500 )

4th Planetary Data Workshop (PDW) • 2019

Plutopy: Engaging the Wider Planetary Science Community with Open Source (Poster #7113 )

50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) • 2019

Plutopy: An Open-Source Community for Learning Reproducible Planetary Science (Poster #3218 )

Advances in Earth Sciences Research Conference (AESRC) • 2017

Optical Maturity and Rock Abundance: Dating the Lunar Surface with Remote Sensing (Talk )

American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting • 2016

A Fresh Look at Aging Lunar Ejecta: Insights from Optical Maturity (OMAT) and Rock Abundance (RA) (Poster #P53C-2227 )

47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) • 2016

Applications of Solar Wind Particle Impact Simulations at Lunar Magnetic Anomalies to the Study of Lunar Swirls (Talk #2648 )

Dept. Astronomy and Planetary Science, NAU

Lab Instructor • Spring 2021

Developed and instructed labs for AST181 - Introduction to Observational Astronomy.

Dept. Astronomy and Planetary Science, NAU

Lab Curriculum Developer • Spring 2021

Developed labs for AST201 - Introduction to Indigenous Astronomy.

Unlearning Racism in Geoscience (URGE)

NAU DAPS URGE pod member • Spring 2021

Interfaced with deparment leadership, led discussions, and developed anti-racist policies to improve our department.

Northern Arizona University (NAU)

Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Mentor • Summer 2020

Mentored an undergraduate performing her first literature review and preparing for graduate school.

Dept. Astronomy and Planetary Science, NAU

Coding Instructor • Fall 2018, 2019, 2020

Developed and taught Scientific Programming In Real Life (SpIRL). course.

Solar System Exploration Group, U of T

Coding Instructor • Summer 2017

Taught short courses Python for Planetary Science. and Git for Reproducible Research.

University of Toronto (U of T)

Co-organizer and lecturer • Fall 2016

Co-organized and gave a talk about space exploration at public International Observe the Moon Night outreach event.

ParseHub

Software Developer Intern • 2017 — 2018

Front-end developer working with HTML/CSS/Javascript.

Exploration Science Summer Intern, Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) • 2021

Modeling ice stratigraphy below cold traps in support of the NASA Artemis program.

Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) • 2021-

Selected grant: "Constraining the Lunar Space Weathering Rate with Remote Observations"

Richard Hayes Memorial Scholarship • 2020

Awarded in recognition of initiative to develop and teach a python class for the benefit of the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, NAU.

AESRC Best Presentation (Runner-up) • 2017

Voted second best presentation at the 2017 Advances in Earth Sciences Research Conference, Western University.

University College Merit Award • 2017

Awarded in recognition of graduating UC students who have made exceptional contributions to University College, University of Toronto.

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award • 2016

Awarded to support research dating the lunar surface with orbital imagery.

Summer Internship, Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) • 2015

Funded summer internship investigating the formation of lunar swirls at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX.

Arbor Scholarship, University of Toronto • 2012

Four-year award supporting finalists of the University of Toronto National Scholarship Competition.