Natasha Chugh (Class of 2019)


What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

“I enjoy dancing and drawing. I’m actually doing a dance for HOPE Auction with Rania and Swapnika. I just love to involve myself in things that are not as STEM-related because it helps give your mind a break from stress. But I’m also involved in research which I find fun, which might be unusual for other people with free time, but I think it gives you a real sense of community and teamwork when you’re doing research.

So you mentioned research. How is that going? What do you do?

“It’s going well. I work in the chemistry department and my lab’s research is basically creating thin films for semi-conductors but using different materials other than silicon, so depositing different synthetic materials and finding out which ones are more conductive and better for transistor technology versus one’s that are not, and so far I’ve got one published paper and I hope to continue working with them until the end of TAMS and maybe in the summer.”

What was your most memorable moment at TAMS?

“I’ve had a lot of memorable moment. I think a lot of them have been with friends, like we were in their rooms studying and struggling for tests together. Yeah, I think there have been some undeniable camaraderie that comes out of struggling together. Most memorable was when we were studying for biology, It was that first core class that a lot of took together, and at 8 AM, we all struggled waking up, so yeah that was probably the main one.”

What advice do you have for incoming Juniors and upcoming Seniors?

“Definitely be open about different things and research opportunities. I came in really interested in organic chemistry and I found out that I also had a passion for inorganic chemistry. When I was looking for research opportunities, I was only looking at organic section, but I kept my mind open. So Juniors should definitely keep that in mind. I guess the same could be said for the upcoming Seniors.”

Who’s been the most influential person for you at TAMS?

"Actually, probably Dr. Duban because when I came into TAMS, I wasn’t a part of the early summer program but I reached out because I had gotten research early and I was wondering if I could stay at the people at McConnell so I wouldn’t be alone. Dr. Duban welcomed me in and he invited me to their dinners and I kind of got adopted into the family I guess. It was just an exciting experience and the way he taught me about etiquette, social grace, and how to better speak to people as opposed to how I was before was just really influential”

What do you think the best and worst things are about TAMS?

“I think the best thing about TAMS is that, since we live together, we have a good sense of community. We all support each other all the time and for anyone struggling, there is always a source for help whether it’s Seniors Mentors, fellow peers, or even the teachers at UNT, all of whom are very helpful. As for the worst thing, I never really had any bad or negative experiences with TAMS. I can’t really pinpoint anything negative.”

What are your plans after TAMS?

“I’m going to Johns Hopkins for a major in biomedical engineering and I hope to minor in an area I’m currently undecided in. I want explore a little and figure out if there’s any area I’m interested in and then, possibly from there, either pursue a PHD or look into medical school. I’m kind of on the fence right now so I’m going to make up my mind hopefully when I get there.

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