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25 Questions with Tasha

We aren’t just researchers here at the Idaho Policy Institute. Get to know the team with a 25 Questions series.

Tasha Smagula in 1996
Tasha enjoying the Grand Canyon

Q: What would you name your autobiography?
A: The Smagula Code

Q: What was the scariest thing to you as a kid?
A: The Creature of the Black Lagoon

Q: In a team environment, what role do you usually take on?
A: I’m usually leading or project managing to help the project stay on task and on-time

Q: What is your all-time favorite snack?
A: Potato chips

Q: Something you can’t do?
A: Curl my hair OR paint my nails

Q: What’s keeping you busy these days?
A: Beekeeping! I volunteered myself to manage the City of Boise’s Foothill Learning Center hives and it keeps me busy every week. This week I’m installing their observation hive in the building.

Q: Favorite cereal?
A: Honey Bunches of Oats and Reeses Puffs

Q: If you could sit down with anyone for lunch, who would it be and why?
A: One of my favorite voices and actors is Tom Hanks

Q: Your favorite invention?
A: The little tracker for your wallet and headphones. I would lose my wallet all the time and now I almost never do!

Q: Where is your favorite place to eat?
A: Bittercreek Ale House

Q: Farthest you’ve been from home?
A: I went on a trip in early high school to Australia and New Zealand

Q: What do you get lost at work in?
A: I like to be creative

Q: How would your best friend describe you?
A: Loyal

Q: What is your favorite sport to watch?
A: Horse racing

Q: What do you worry about?
A: Mostly my bees and what I want to do when I grow up

Q: All-time favorite show?
A: Gilmore Girls

Q: Favorite mascot?
A: Buster Bronco (Go Broncos!) or Bonk

Q: Favorite career moment?
A: Being offered a position at Boise State University! I have been aiming to work here since before I graduated and finally made it.

Q: What/Who is your academic inspiration?
A: My grandfather, Dr. Lundgren, a pioneer in his field, and who was kind, generous and always wanted me to pursue an education.

Q: What are you currently reading?
A: I’m reading The Hobbit, Flat Broke with Two Goats and Girl, Wash Your Face

Q: What sport are you best at?
A: I’m very competitive and averagely athletic

Q: What kind of problems do you best solve?
A: I’m good at solving strategic, logistical and tactical problems

Q: In elementary school, what activities did you get excited about and what were you best at?
A: I loved recess, lunch, reading and even math

Q: Favorite vacation, real or imaginary?
A: My favorite real vacations are ones where I get to play and lay in the sun all day long

Q: Oddest job you’ve ever had?
A: I have worked a lot of odd jobs. The most unique and complicated to explain was working for the State Record Center. I worked in a warehouse filled with records and my job was to file, pull and deliver the records to various agencies. It was actually a lot of fun!