“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

For senior Varun Thvar, Emerson’s words resonate deeply. Authenticity lies at the heart of his philosophy, inspiring confidence in his own values and guiding his choices in science, music and the connections he forges with others. In a world full of external pressures, Varun remains committed to the integrity of his own mind. 

In his frosh year, Varun reached out to biotech company Macromoltek. Launching into science research through a bioinformatics summer internship, he investigated and designed an antibody-based treatment to replace intravenous antibiotics, which are painful and taxing for patients. 

“Lots of people do research for competitions and just for the publications and whatnot, and if you want to go to a good college, sure, that’s a fine metric,” Varun said. “All of my research has been geared towards making an impact. I want to help those who can’t help themselves.”

Varun’s interest in contributing to the public good also motivated his exploration of neuroscience, which culminated in his project at the prestigious Research Science Institute. His work examined the effects of childhood trauma on human cognition and psychological outcomes, which can pave the way for improvements in mental diagnoses and treatments.

“A huge problem in neuroscience psychiatry is how do you understand the various biological mechanisms that go into these psychiatric illnesses?” Varun said. “Currently, how we define them is very symptomatological, but that’s not always helpful. You want to identify biological underpinnings for these things.”

In his scientific pursuits, Varun avoids the influence of external definitions of success in favor of his own motivations. That same authenticity manifests in his musical career. As a cellist in the Harker orchestra since his freshman year, Varun considers music to be a valuable medium of personal inspiration and self-expression.

“For some people it might be sports or small hobbies, but music was the thing that kept me going,” Varun said. “If I feel really stressed or angry, I just take out my cello and start playing.”

Biology teacher Eric Johnson, who is Varun’s adviser, considers him to be an excellent role model for his peers and commends his varied expertise and enthusiasm for diverse disciplines, not just STEM. Varun doesn’t allow himself to be boxed into rigid specialities and instead chooses to explore other realms around him.

“A lot of people in this science, technology, engineering and math world think: ‘I’m a STEM person. I can’t be an English person. I can’t be an art person.’ That’s not true. That’s not how the brain works,” Johnson said. “Varun embodies that. He is a wonderful, burgeoning scientist, and that’s such a profound and prolific part of him, but then you can talk to him about orchestra and his art and history and humanity too.”

Furthermore, Varun cherishes the community that he has discovered through music. From simply hanging out with other musicians to performing together at concerts and musical festivals, Varun values the camaraderie that comes with being a member of the orchestra. 

It’s the moments where you’re playing, and you look across to someone and you make eye contact,” Varun said. “You could start laughing about the obvious, horrible wrongdoing that happened or you’re focusing on them because you’re playing with them in some piece. It’s those moments that connect you while you’re playing.”

Even when it comes to people who don’t share his interests, Varun still has the ability to form strong social connections. Close friend senior Agastya Ravuri has known Varun since sixth grade. His first impression was that Varun was affable and outgoing, qualities that he has retained in the years since then.

“Whenever he’s in a group, he makes it so much easier to talk to everyone. He breaks the ice entirely,” Agastya said. “He introduced me to one of my friends. We were just sitting there, not talking, but when Varun came in, everything started.” 

Varun isn’t one to conceal his thoughts and feelings from other people. Close friend senior Grant Yang admires how he speaks his mind honestly. 

“He’s not afraid to show his emotion and be frank with you,” Grant said. “It’s really easy to be open with him and talk about literally anything, whether it’s quantum mechanics or how you’re feeling stressed.”

From his scientific pursuits, to his musical career, to his connections with other people, Varun strives to stay true to himself, prioritizing his individuality and authenticity over external pressures. This is how he preserves the integrity of his own mind. 

“Your own mind, your own action, and your own thoughts are the most sacred,” Varun said. “They should be  considered first for what you want to do in life, as opposed to just being told by others what to do, which is an easy trap to fall into. We all ought to kind of listen to our own mind and make up our own beliefs.”