When Kayla Palucho first enrolled in a geology course at the University of Houston-Downtown her sophomore year, it was out of necessity, not passion. As a Biological and Physical Sciences major with plans for medical school, she needed to take a science elective. Physical Geology was the only class with open seats.
“I was so annoyed that I’d have to sit in this class and hear about rocks for six months,” Palucho laughed. Instead, she discovered a discipline that combined her love of chemistry with questions about the Earth’s history. “By the end of the semester, I had changed my major into Geosciences.”
Encouraged by faculty members like Dr. Aimee Bichler , Palucho’s first geology professor, and later mentored in research by Dr. Kenneth Johnson, Associate Professor of Geology & Chemistry, she found more than a new major; she found a community eager to help her grow.
Dr. Johnson mentored Palucho, both of whom specialize in Geochemistry, through his research in the field and in the lab. After a semester of working together, he secured NSF funding that allowed him to take a couple of students into the field. Palucho jumped at the opportunity, and her work with Dr. Johnson examining minerals to better understand how the Earth’s crust evolves with time recently earned her the Lone Star Rising Research Award from the Association for Women Geoscientists Lone Star Chapter.
But more important than the recognition, the experience solidified Palucho’s sense of belonging in the discipline: “You don’t really understand geology until you see it in real life,” she explained. “You look at a mountain in a picture and think it’s cool. Then you see it in person, and it’s unbelievable. Field work really helped a lot to solidify I'm meant to be here. This is my calling.”
For someone who once claimed she wasn’t outdoorsy, the transformation surprised even her. Fieldwork—long days mapping, sampling, and making detailed notes—became a highlight of her undergraduate career. It also clarified her next goal: graduate school.
As a first-generation college student whose parents immigrated from El Salvador, pursuing a master’s degree once felt out of reach. Now, after applying to programs across the country and receiving acceptances, the senior is eagerly preparing for the next chapter. “I don't know what part of the U.S. I'll end up in, but that's the exciting part.”
Beyond her academic accomplishments, Palucho has demonstrated Gator Greatness through her community building efforts on campus. Noticing a need for a more visible, supportive network for science students, she revived the defunct GeoSociety, growing it to more than 50 active members in less than a year.
As she prepares to graduate this May, Palucho leaves behind a stronger, more connected geoscience community at UHD—one that she hopes will continue long after she heads to her next field site.
“I hope that I spread awareness through the Society that not everything is competitive,” Palucho reflected. “You're not competing with your classmates. These are the people that you're going to be stuck with for four years, and you want to create a community out of that. Making space for others and creating a sense of community—leaving this impact at UHD—that is what makes me happy.”