Narayani Sharma, a recent graduate of Woodstock School and based in India, has worked on projects in environmental research, sustainable design, and community-based development, focused on learning how sustainable materials can be developed and adopted at scale while contributing to circular systems.
Her academic and project work includes developing and testing sodium alginate-based biowraps as alternatives to conventional packaging. She also participated in the International Space Settlement Design Competition (ISSDC) proposal, where her team proposed a closed-loop resource management and CO₂-capture systems to create a sustainable long-term space habitat design.
Previously, she worked with an environmental consultant on research related to electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure and public health, compiling data from 80+ studies and collecting EMF measurements from wireless devices and infrastructure to support analysis of technology-related health concerns. Additionally, at Crazy Coconut, she supported initial product design, helped prototype early product concepts, and collected customer feedback on coconut-composite product ideas. Across these experiences, she has been driven by how materials, energy use, waste, and human behavior interact, and by the belief that multiple points in a system need to be addressed for solutions to be systemically sustainable.
Narayani also led a high school research incubator, designing a year-long curriculum to assist students in framing research questions, designing methodologies, evaluating evidence, and presenting findings. She built assessment frameworks and mentorship structures that supported over 120 students in developing independent and IB research projects.
Alongside technical work, Narayani has worked on community-based fundraising and outreach initiatives supporting health education, women’s self-help groups, and local welfare projects.