Originating from Fort Lauderdale, Florida—a region known for its rich biodiversity and delicate coastal ecosystems—Yardena’s connection to the natural world has always been more than a passing interest. Surrounded by mangroves, marine life, and tropical landscapes, she grew up with a deep appreciation for the environment. Weekend hikes, wildlife photography, and family visits to Everglades National Park instilled in her a profound sense of environmental responsibility from an early age. What began as a fascination with local flora and fauna gradually transformed into a serious academic pursuit, with Yardena seeking every opportunity to deepen her understanding of environmental science. As she progressed through high school, her interests matured beyond observation and into action. She realized that studying ecological systems wasn’t enough—she wanted to help shape the frameworks and policies that protect them. Whether through environmental engineering, which focuses on designing sustainable solutions, or through environmental law, which offers the power to influence legislation and enforcement, Yardena envisions a future where she can drive meaningful, systemic change in sustainability and conservation at both local and national levels.
Future Goals: Sustainability, Policy, and Beyond
Looking ahead, Yardena sees several academic pathways converging toward a single, deeply rooted mission: creating measurable environmental impact. Her current interests reflect a powerful intersection between science and social responsibility. She envisions pursuing an advanced degree in environmental engineering, where she could contribute to the design of climate-resilient infrastructure and eco-friendly technologies. Alternatively, she’s also exploring the path of environmental law, aiming to advocate for legislation that protects fragile ecosystems and regulates harmful industrial practices.
These dual interests reflect her desire to be both a problem-solver and a policymaker—someone who not only understands the science but also shapes the rules that govern environmental behavior. For Yardena, the ideal future is one where she plays an instrumental role in creating and enforcing policies that safeguard biodiversity, promote sustainable development, and ensure equitable access to clean air, water, and land. In particular, she hopes to focus on vulnerable regions like South Florida, where rising sea levels, invasive species, and urban sprawl threaten the long-term health of natural habitats and human communities alike.
Launching a Transformative Research Journey with Nova Scholar Education
Discovering the Opportunity
Yardena’s transformative journey into formal research began unexpectedly, with a recommendation from a family friend who had witnessed the impact of Nova Scholar Education’s mentorship programs. Curious and motivated, Yardena applied to the Nova Research program, a selective 2.5–5 month experience designed for middle and high school students seeking guided, in-depth research. Nova Scholar’s network of mentors—all experts from prestigious institutions like Stanford, Harvard, MIT, Yale, and Princeton—offered Yardena a level of academic engagement she hadn’t previously experienced.
She was immediately drawn to the program’s emphasis on student-led inquiry and real-world relevance. For Yardena, this wasn’t just another academic exercise—it was a chance to explore a local environmental crisis, contribute meaningful findings to the scientific community, and develop skills that would prepare her for college and beyond. The program empowered her to frame her own research questions, build an original study, and work closely with a mentor who shared her passion for ecological preservation.
Filling a Gap in Traditional Education
While Yardena’s high school had offered Advanced Placement Environmental Science, the class was confined to test preparation and general overviews. It sparked her interest but didn’t satisfy her growing desire to explore specific, community-driven challenges. Through Nova Scholar, Yardena was able to break free from the limitations of traditional classroom instruction.
What made the difference was the mentorship-based, project-driven model of the Nova Research program. With access to expert guidance, Yardena gained the tools to go beyond textbook knowledge—developing her own methodology, diving into policy documents and scientific literature, and engaging with local data to inform her conclusions. This wasn’t passive learning; it was investigative, analytical, and personal. The program gave her the freedom to ask tough questions and the support to find credible, research-backed answers. For the first time, she saw herself not just as a student, but as a scholar with something to contribute.
Investigating an Overlooked Crisis: The Green Iguana Invasion
Identifying the Problem
As Yardena surveyed potential research topics, one issue stood out—highly visible in her South Florida community yet largely missing from broader environmental conversations. She decided to focus her efforts on the rise of invasive green iguanas (Iguana iguana), a species native to Central and South America that has become increasingly problematic in Florida’s subtropical regions. Although often perceived as harmless due to their herbivorous diet and calm demeanor, these reptiles pose a serious threat to both natural ecosystems and human-built environments.
The iguanas' rapid population growth—fueled by Florida's warm climate, plentiful vegetation, and lack of natural predators—has led to widespread disruption. Their burrowing behavior, particularly during nesting season, undermines the stability of seawalls, sidewalks, levees, and even bridge supports. In addition to damaging infrastructure, green iguanas have been known to consume native plants and displace indigenous wildlife, contributing to ecological imbalance. Yet despite these consequences, public discourse and policy interventions have lagged behind the urgency of the situation.
By choosing this topic, Yardena sought to spotlight a regional environmental crisis that merges biology, economics, and urban planning—an ideal platform to explore the intersection of science and public policy.
Mentorship and Deeper Insight
Working under the mentorship of Malia, an environmental scientist with expertise in invasive species and resilience planning, Yardena broadened the scope of her inquiry. While initial research focused on the natural history and behavior of green iguanas, Malia encouraged her to explore their impact through a systems-thinking lens. This led Yardena to examine how local governments manage ecological threats, how regulatory frameworks differ across municipalities, and how community education affects species control.
A turning point in her research came when Malia introduced comparative ecological case studies. Yardena analyzed how other regions, such as Alaska, manage non-native species like northern pike, which pose similar ecological challenges. These comparisons revealed that geography, population density, and legislative infrastructure play critical roles in shaping the success of mitigation strategies. Yardena began to understand that effective solutions are not one-size-fits-all—they must be locally adapted and policy-informed.
Research in Context: Infrastructure and Policy Gaps
Yardena’s project gained additional relevance when it coincided with the announcement of a federal infrastructure spending initiative. While billions were being allocated toward strengthening bridges, dams, and public works, Yardena noticed a glaring omission: invasive species management was not part of the discussion. This oversight, she argued, left new and existing infrastructure vulnerable to biologically driven degradation.
Her research highlighted the need for integrated resilience planning—approaches that don’t merely reinforce concrete and steel, but also consider ecological threats like the unchecked spread of invasive species. Yardena proposed a framework for local policymakers that included early detection systems, public education campaigns, humane removal practices, and funding for ecological restoration.
In doing so, she made a case for expanding the definition of infrastructure risk to include biodiversity threats, not just engineering failures. Her work became an example of interdisciplinary environmental research, combining biology, economics, urban planning, and public policy in a way that few high school students—and indeed, few policymakers—had considered.
Conducting Responsible, Data-Driven Research
Legal Complexities and Ethical Approaches
As Yardena delved deeper into her research, she quickly realized that solving the green iguana crisis wasn’t just a matter of understanding biology—it also required navigating a complex legal and ethical landscape. Different counties in Florida approach invasive species management in varied ways, with some permitting removal and others requiring state-issued permits for population control. Yardena spent considerable time analyzing state wildlife regulations, municipal ordinances, and policy briefs from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Her research underscored the need for humane and ecologically responsible strategies. Instead of advocating for eradication efforts that might result in animal cruelty or ecosystem disruption, she proposed scientifically grounded removal methods that prioritized both effectiveness and compassion. These included non-lethal deterrents, targeted population control during breeding seasons, and community education initiatives to discourage feeding or harboring iguanas.
In addition, Yardena investigated how public perception and misinformation can hinder effective management. She highlighted the importance of public awareness campaigns that clearly distinguish between invasive green iguanas and native species, helping residents understand the environmental stakes and the role they can play in mitigation.
Building Research Skills Through Practice
Throughout the Nova Research program, Yardena developed a robust toolkit of research skills that extended far beyond classroom learning. She engaged in extensive literature reviews, evaluating scholarly articles and government reports on invasive species control. She also conducted interviews with local environmental experts and municipal officials to understand how policies were being applied—or ignored—on the ground.
This multifaceted approach taught her how to synthesize diverse types of information, identify bias or gaps in existing research, and form evidence-based conclusions. As her project progressed, Yardena became more adept at organizing complex findings into a structured argument, supported by credible sources and reinforced through data interpretation. These skills have since become foundational in her college research and academic writing, positioning her ahead of many of her peers.
Publishing Her Work: From Draft to Journal Feature
The Road to Publication
After completing her research and drafting her findings, Yardena set her sights on a new challenge: publication. She submitted her manuscript to the Journal of Research High School, a peer-reviewed platform that recognizes original research by high school scholars. The process was rigorous. Over the course of nearly a year, her paper underwent multiple rounds of editorial feedback and scholarly peer review.
The revision process tested her patience and resilience. Each round required her to clarify arguments, refine data interpretation, and revise for coherence and readability. However, it also significantly improved the depth and polish of her work. When her paper was finally accepted and published, Yardena celebrated not just the milestone, but the journey itself—one that had transformed her from a student into a recognized contributor in the field of environmental science.
A Call to Action
Yardena’s published paper did more than document a regional problem—it issued a clear call to action. She argued that invasive species like green iguanas are not just biological nuisances but represent a critical gap in urban resilience planning. Her findings urged local policymakers, infrastructure developers, and environmental agencies to adopt more integrated, forward-thinking strategies that address ecological threats as part of long-term urban planning.
Her work began to gain traction outside the academic sphere. Several local educators and environmental groups took interest in her findings, with some inviting her to speak or contribute to community awareness initiatives. In this way, Yardena’s research not only filled a scholarly void but also inspired civic engagement and informed public discourse, demonstrating the powerful ripple effects that student research can have when supported by expert mentorship and a real-world mission.
Integrating Science and Art for Greater Impact
The Power of Visual Storytelling
One of the most distinctive aspects of Yardena’s research project was her interdisciplinary approach, particularly her integration of visual art into scientific analysis. As an avid nature photographer, Yardena had long used her camera to document wildlife in her native South Florida. When she began researching green iguanas, she saw an opportunity to bring that visual storytelling into her academic work.
Armed with a DSLR camera and hours of field observations, Yardena captured detailed images showing both the beauty of these reptiles and the destruction their presence has caused—burrowed seawalls, disrupted gardens, and cracked pavement. These photos didn’t just decorate her final research paper; they served as primary documentation, visually substantiating the environmental damage outlined in her analysis.
Including original photography gave her paper a multi-sensory impact, allowing readers and reviewers to engage more deeply with the issue. It also made the study more accessible to non-specialists, such as local community members and educators, who might not read technical research but could immediately grasp the urgency through compelling imagery. Her work demonstrates how science and art can intersect to drive public engagement, emotional resonance, and advocacy, particularly in environmental communication.
Enduring Academic Benefits and Future Plans
From High School to College Research
Yardena’s experience with Nova Scholar Education provided her with a research foundation that few high school students possess. By the time she entered college, she was already familiar with research design, literature review techniques, and structured academic writing. These skills made her transition to higher education far smoother and positioned her to hit the ground running in college-level seminars and lab settings.
Her original green iguana project didn’t end after publication. Instead, it opened new doors: she began collaborating with professors in environmental science and public policy departments, using her earlier findings as a springboard for more expansive regional research. Her current work examines how invasive species management can be integrated into urban planning across multiple coastal states, connecting ecological risk with infrastructure policy on a broader scale.
Academic Confidence and Application Success
Beyond technical growth, Yardena’s project played a central role in shaping her college application narrative. It demonstrated initiative, intellectual maturity, and a clear sense of purpose—traits that admissions officers value highly. Her ability to articulate a problem, conduct original research, and advocate for actionable solutions positioned her as not just a strong student, but a future changemaker.
Many students write personal statements about their interests; Yardena submitted evidence of real-world impact. Her application stood out because it was rooted in lived experience, rigorous scholarship, and community relevance. For competitive colleges looking for students who will contribute meaningfully both inside and outside the classroom, her research was a powerful differentiator.
Reflecting on the Nova Scholar Mentorship Experience
A Supportive Mentor Relationship
One of the most pivotal elements of Yardena’s journey was her mentorship under Malia, an expert in environmental systems and climate resilience. More than just a subject-matter guide, Malia was a thought partner, helping Yardena develop a more nuanced understanding of the problem and how to frame it within broader scientific and policy debates.
Their regular meetings were collaborative and thought-provoking. Malia encouraged Yardena to push beyond surface-level observations, refine her hypotheses, and ground her conclusions in empirical evidence. These conversations fostered a level of academic dialogue that Yardena had never encountered in a traditional classroom. The mentorship model allowed her to develop not only stronger research but also a more confident and authentic academic voice.
Educational Freedom and Empowerment
Perhaps the most transformative aspect of the Nova Research experience was the freedom to pursue genuine intellectual curiosity. Unlike the rigid structure of standardized high school courses, Yardena’s project was driven by her own questions, her own pace, and her own goals. This flexibility allowed her to follow leads, pivot when needed, and explore new dimensions of her topic without fear of falling outside a curriculum box.
This freedom was empowering. It nurtured Yardena’s identity as an independent thinker, capable of defining problems, seeking solutions, and engaging with expert discourse. For students like Yardena, who want to move beyond memorization and grades into discovery and contribution, the Nova Scholar model represents a transformative opportunity.
Advice to Aspiring Student Researchers
Embrace the Process
Yardena’s first piece of advice to students considering independent research is simple: start—even if you're unsure where it will lead. Research can be messy, nonlinear, and unpredictable. There will be roadblocks, whether it’s a lack of access to academic databases, difficulty securing interviews, or simply feeling overwhelmed by the scope of the topic. But Yardena views these challenges as built-in opportunities for growth.
She encourages students to lean into uncertainty and approach each obstacle as a puzzle to solve. It’s through these moments that students learn to be resourceful, to think critically, and to persevere when things don’t go as planned. “Every moment of frustration,” she says, “taught me something valuable—about the world and about myself.” It’s the process, not just the final product, that shapes students into confident thinkers and leaders.
Seek Out Quality Mentorship
For students looking to deepen their research experience, Yardena stresses the importance of finding the right mentor. A knowledgeable, engaged mentor can make all the difference—offering not only expertise in a specific field but also feedback, encouragement, and structure. Yardena’s experience with Nova Scholar Education’s mentorship program was a turning point in her academic development. Nova’s model—connecting students with researchers from Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Yale, and Princeton—ensured she had access to high-level guidance tailored to her specific interests.
She recommends that students seek mentorship that encourages curiosity and independence, rather than simply delivering instructions. The ideal mentor helps students form their own questions, reflect on their assumptions, and explore connections between disciplines. In this way, research becomes not just an academic exercise, but a transformative learning journey.
Make It Personal and Impactful
Yardena’s final piece of advice is to choose a topic that matters deeply to you. Passion is what sustains a project through its inevitable ups and downs. When students select a research question that’s personal—whether it’s connected to their community, cultural background, future career goals, or a long-held interest—they’re more likely to stay engaged and produce work that is authentic and impactful.
In Yardena’s case, the green iguana crisis wasn’t just an academic topic—it was a tangible issue she observed in her own backyard. That personal connection gave her research urgency and focus. It also made her findings more meaningful, not only to her but to others who shared her concern. She encourages students to think about what excites, frustrates, or fascinates them in the world around them—and to let that spark drive their research forward.
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