Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards

Natacha Chough received her B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology with a Minor in Chemistry in June 2001. During her years at UW, she was active in the University Health Education Leadership Program (U-HELP), performed undergraduate research in the laboratories of Drs. Mary-Claire King (Genome Sciences) and Michael Rosenfeld (Pathobiology/Nutritional Sciences), and was a Washington Space Grant-sponsored Research Associate in the 2000 NASA-Ames Astrobiology Academy.

In seeking to combine her dual passions for space and health, Natacha embarked on varying adventures after college. She first worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Kennedy Space Center, preparing the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers for launch. From 2003 to 2005, Natacha served as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in the country of Turkmenistan, teaching community health and science. In June 2005, she was lucky enough to participate in Russia’s Space Medicine and Biology School at Moscow’s Institute for Biomedical Problems, learning about the applications of space technology to public health. Natacha’s work with the federal agencies of NASA and Peace Corps were integral in her decision to pursue a career involving public service.

Natacha will begin medical school at the University of Michigan in fall 2006 and is particularly interested in aerospace medicine. While she hopes to eventually serve as a flight surgeon for the space program, she also aims to explore and contribute to the fields of international and public health.

Stacey DeAmicis will complete her B.A. in Botany and Minor in Oceanography in June 2006. While on campus, Stacey has been actively involved with The Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society, serving as the Officer of Mentoring for the 2005-2006 academic year. She is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa and The Golden Key International Honour Society.

Stacey has volunteered with the Seattle Aquarium as a Beach Naturalist for the last three seasons because she LOVES to engage people, young and old, communicating her excitement about the intertidal beach habitats and all of the fascinating organisms that live there. This passion led her to carry out undergraduate research under the guidance of Dr. Jennifer Ruesink in Biology investigating an invasive dwarf seagrass from Asia found in Willapa Bay, WA in addition to studying at the Friday Harbor Labs.

Stacey will begin an Integrated Ph.D. program in Marine and Environmental Science at the University of Plymouth, England in the autumn 2006. She will continue studying biological invasions in coastal ecosystems within the larger context of global change. She hopes to act as a bridge between scientific research and public awareness and understanding of global environmental issues and their impacts on our societies.