Kayla Smith, a Goldwater Scholar is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering at the Central State University, Ohio.
The Call
It was Kayla’s sophomore year, spring semester.
Her academic advisor reached out to her and said, “Hey, you're doing really well. Do you know Caltech?”
Kayla said she didn’t, but did a quick Google search, and continued, “Yes, I do know CalTech. Why do you ask?”
The advisor told her that a professor at CalTech was looking for a student in the Environmental area to do research, and that he had recommended her.
To which Kayla exclaimed, “Wow!”
CalTech Project
Kayla hadn’t really thought much about research, much less what kind of research she wanted to do.
But she was surprised that her advisor had reached out to her, because she didn’t really know him all that well. Actually she hadn’t met him much due to COVID.
Anyway, Kayla quickly got on a Zoom meeting with the CalTech advisor and the group she was assigned to do research with.
The research project involved using a coding model, a computational model to analyze atmospheric chemistry on Mars.
Kayla had no idea how to code.
She didn’t know what a photochemical model was.
And, she had doubts whether she would be able to assist the group in their research.
But graduate students, professors, and her academic advisors helped her get started.
Outcomes
Over the last 2 years, Kayla has made a number of contributions to the project.
The photochemical model has grown tremendously;
Kayla was able to add many photochemical reactions to it;
She adapted a model for Venus over to Mars by changing the model’s parameters from Venus to Mars;
Quite amazingly, all this analysis is done with datasets that no one has truly seen in person;
By correlating it to scientific principles from like chemistry, biology, geology or as Kayla calls it - “the whole melting pot that planetary science provides”.
Takeaways
Kayla loved the research, learned a lot, and had a great experience doing it.
She loved learning about the universe in the cosmos;
Learning about Mars helped her understand our planet Earth and the entire universe better, and how we all fit within it;
She was introduced to Planetary Science, Astrobiology, Photochemistry, and the entire spectrum of Geosciences; and
Finally, Kayla was blessed to have mentors who were looking out for her, and helped her get to where she is today.
A phone call from a diligent advisor, not only introduced her to research that took her to Mars, but has made research an integral part of her education.
On With the Podcast
In this Podcast, Kayla shares her undergraduate college journey at Central State University, winning the Goldwater Scholarship, UG Space Research experiences as CalTech WAVE Fellow, and Advice for High Schoolers.
Hi-Fives from the Podcast are:
Overall Central State Experience
Why Central State?
The Academics
Goldwater Scholarship
Advice for High Schoolers
Listen to Hi5s. Podcast Highlights with Kayla Smith on UG Experience at Central State University. (2.5-Minute Listen).
All the Best!
Have a Great Week.
Venkat