Local Student Among Top in Nation

February 6, 2023 – We are never less than amazed at the talent shown by the students at Viera High School. In athletics and the arts and every endeavor which takes skill, discipline and hard work, these students excel. But when a student achieves at the national level, competing against the best of the best – and ranks in the top 40 out of almost 2,000 of the most impressive students in the U.S., we stand in awe.

Lavanya Natarajan, of Viera High School, competing in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2023, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors, has placed near the top of those that made the cut.

Lavanya Natarajan

The (40) 2023 finalists were selected from 1,949 highly qualified entrants based on the originality and creativity of their scientific research, as well as their achievement and leadership both inside and outside of the classroom. Each finalist is awarded at least $25,000, and the top 10 awards range from $40,000 to $250,000.

Ms. Natarajan’s project title was “A Prescriptive IoT Solution To Detect and Mitigate Fugitive Methane Gas in Landfills via a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System”.

In an area such as the Space Coast, where Viera is centrally located, it’s not unusual for residents to bump into actual rocket scientists at the grocery store or hitting the gym. But even among this elite group, a student such as Lavanya Natarajan stands out from the crowd.

We are so proud of this student and her achievement in science and math. We give our congratulations to Lavanya Natarajan of Viera High School.