When he was just 8 years old, Mahesh Thapa, M.D., MEd, FAAP, Res. ’05, Fel. ’06, moved from Nepal to Las Vegas. It was a case of extremes. He’d left a country with some of the highest mountains on earth to a state containing one of the brightest spots on earth — the Las Vegas Strip.

Needless to say, there was a bit of culture shock.

“We went from a country where we didn’t know whether we’d get electricity every day to an area where there was so much artificial light that night seemed like day,” says Thapa. “For a kid, it was a big, wild moment.”

Today, Thapa is a pediatric radiologist at Seattle Children’s, using imaging techniques and equipment to help diagnose illnesses and injuries, as well as an associate professor at the UW School of Medicine.

Thapa’s parents, he admits, influenced his choice of profession, but his hobby — digital photography — influenced his choice of field. During medical school, he found himself taking pictures whenever he went for a hike. “I’ve always enjoyed photographing nature,” says Thapa. “I love vibrant colors and majestic scenes. And I’m particularly drawn to mountains, which remind me of the Himalayas in Nepal.”