Thomas Sanders in uniform

Before I came to UNT, I didn't know what research was. I also didn't know the difference between a physicist and a physician. High school textbook descriptions of scientists sounded interesting, but out of my reach. In 9th grade I was planning to graduate high school early and start working full time. My Honors Biology teacher heard my plans and challenged me to take a step beyond graduating high school early: start college early too. "Don't do that, do TAMS." Following my teacher's advice, I learned about the Texas Academy of Math and Science, an early college residential scholarship program available to Texas residents. My application to TAMS was accepted, but my decision to attend was dependent on my ability to fully fund my education. Thankfully, I was able to fund my education with several grant and scholarship programs, and funded research opportunities. After TAMS I majored in Mechanical and Energy Engineering, and continued to explore research and grant-funded opportunities. 

One of the coolest grants I benefited from in my senior year was the STEM grant that Dr. Kaul was awarded from the Office of Naval Research where she announced a new course she was developing under this grant to my Materials Science class. By this point in my education, I had already been exposed to research and I was looking for my next opportunity to grow mentally. My involvement in the ONR STEM grant was through this new course on Micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) and the associated laboratory modules. This was the first time in my education that I took an advanced interdisciplinary class with lab activities. I enjoyed interacting with different majors in my lab group because I learned from them and thought the team composition resembled a more realistic working environment. Also, I was trained to use MEMS fabrication techniques and related equipment inside a real semiconducting cleanroom, which would not have been possible for me, were it not for this new course the ONR STEM grant made possible.
I highly value programs that encourage students to think critically. MEMS fabrication is a field that fostered much critical thinking as I explored some possible device ideas based on the curriculum presented in class, and I am now enrolled part-time in the Mechanical Engineering M.S. program at UNT. As a Nuclear Submarine Officer in training, through the Navy's NUPOC collegiate recruiting program, I've become increasingly inspired by and thankful for STEM education and research initiatives, both of which Admiral Rickover, the "father of the Nuclear Navy" was supportive of. In my undergraduate experience at UNT, I got to work on particle accelerators in the Physics Department, MEMS devices through the ONR STEM grant, and present my research efforts at UNT Honors College poster conferences. UNT has world-class faculty and resources available to enrich the motivated student's experience. I encourage every student to explore the opportunities available to them in research and in professional societies.