Natasha Smith brings logic, discipline and professionalism into her classroom, and she’s completely open to new ways to reach her students.
The daughter of a high school teacher in Hazard, Kentucky, and a U.S. Navy veteran, Smith teaches in the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.
“From the first engineering class I had, I thought, ‘I like doing this,’” she said. “This is something that I can wrap my head around – the logical approach to things, the clarity, the methodical approach to things.”
As an undergraduate at the U.S. Naval Academy, Smith gained practical experience in the Seabees, the U.S. Navy’s construction arm, and was stationed in San Diego, Guam and Brunswick, Maine. After she left active duty in 1999, Smith remained in the Naval Reserves and deployed to Iraq in 2005 as the executive officer of a Seabee battalion.
“We were there for construction support for the Marine Corps,” Smith said. “The battalion made runway repairs, a lot of contingency building construction, building three complete bases for the Iraqi security forces in an incredibly short amount of time. A lot of the reserve Seabees come from skilled construction folks, and they can really make things happen.”
While a reservist, Smith completed her doctorate at Vanderbilt University and returned to the Naval Academy as an instructor
“My first career was as a Navy Civil Engineer Corps officer,” she said. “After 7 1/2 years on active duty, I decided I wanted to pursue a life in academia.”
Smith, who also taught at Southern Indiana University, came to UVA in 2017 believing she could contribute to a top university.
A U.S. Navy veteran, Smith draws on practical experience gained serving in the Seabees while pursuing her academic career. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)
“UVA students are sharp,” she said. “For the most part, they’re self-starters, optimistic, which I don’t think is the same everywhere.”
Richard W. Kent, the Frederick Tracy Morse Professor and the chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, described Smith as one of the most dedicated educators he has met.
“She cares deeply about our students and goes out of her way to support those most needing advice and mentorship,” Kent said. “She can teach virtually any mechanical engineering topic … and do it better than almost anyone else can.”
Kent said Smith is always vigilant to discover new methods of instruction.
“If it has to do with student success and learning, Natasha is all over it,” Kent said. “Natasha has justifiably won literally every teaching award I know about. If I ever hear of a teaching award she hasn’t won, I will be first in line to nominate her for it.”
The core principles and fundamental ideas used to find creative ways to solve problems drew Smith to engineering. After nearly 20 years of teaching, Smith still enjoys sharing those principles with her students and watching their development.
Smith teaches her students to take a methodical, logical approach to data analysis, as they will have to when they become professional engineers. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)
“I always tell students, ‘There’s lots of right answers, but there’s more wrong answers,’” she said.
Smith prefers teaching over conducting research. While her research colleagues have small cohorts of graduate students, Smith can reach 400 undergraduates. She redesigned the lab sequence for mechanical and aerospace majors and has taught various courses, though she describes herself as a mechanical engineer.
“I get a lot of professional satisfaction out of working closely with students,” she said.
