Meet Ishanvi Sakharpe, the Virginia student who built Dolphin Guard to help protect dolphins from dangerous human activity
Ishanvi Sakharpe is a Virginia student using science and technology to address a problem affecting one of the ocean’s most recognisable animals. Her project, Dolphin Guard, was created with the aim of helping protect dolphins from dangerous human activity in marine environments. The young innovator’s work has now earned recognition through the Young Scientist Challenge, where she was named a 2026 Virginia State Merit Winner. This project is an example of what young scientists can do when they channel their passion for wildlife towards coming up with tangible solutions using science and technology. The project by Sakharpe has been motivated by the need to come up with ways to protect dolphins from dangers posed to them by human activities. This shows the potential young people have when it comes to developing technology solutions to conserve wildlife.
How Ishanvi Sakharpe turned her concern for dolphins into a science project
Ishanvi Sakharpe is a student from Virginia Beach, Virginia, studying at Old Donation School. Ishanvi Sakharpe’s scientific interest has enabled her to conduct research that can help solve problems in real-life situations rather than just in theoretical classes. It was through participation in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge that she gained more fame. The 3M Young Scientist Challenge is an annual competition where middle school students from all over the United States participate and create solutions to real-world problems. The recognition places her among students from across the country whose scientific ideas were highlighted through the programme. Her achievement is particularly notable because Dolphin Guard combines environmental conservation with technology. Instead of simply studying dolphins, Sakharpe focused on how innovation could potentially help reduce dangers created by human activity.
Dolphin Guard: Innovator’s attempt to make waters safer for dolphins
Dolphin Guard is Sakharpe’s project focused on protecting dolphins from potentially dangerous interactions with people and human activity in marine environments. Dolphins live in waters that are also heavily used by humans. Boats, fishing activity and other forms of marine activity can create situations in which dolphins may be placed at risk. The idea behind Dolphin Guard reflects an important principle in conservation: preventing dangerous encounters can be more effective than responding only after an animal has been injured or put in danger. The official Young Scientist Lab page recognises Sakharpe and Dolphin Guard as her award-winning project, although it does not provide a complete technical breakdown of how the device works. Therefore, its specific hardware and operating mechanism should not be overstated beyond the information publicly provided by the competition.
Why dolphins need protection from human activity
Even though dolphins are smart and adaptable animals, they can be threatened by various dangers resulting from human activities. Their habitats are located in the areas used actively by ships and fisheries. Marine transport is especially dangerous for the wildlife. Dolphins can come across vessels when they move around, feed, or communicate with each other, making an encounter potentially dangerous for them. Another activity that can pose a threat to dolphins is fishing. Dolphins can get stuck in the fishing gear or face other dangers created by human presence at sea. Initiatives like Dolphin Guard show how relevant it is to seek technical solutions to the problems discussed above. Young scientists can share their thoughts on how to make human-animal encounters safe for both parties involved.
A young scientist with a passion for problem-solving
In addition to Sakharpe’s accomplishments in marine conservation, her interest in solving scientific problems has also been seen in the field of mathematics. Indeed, she has been a successful participant in various math competitions. There are results showing that her name has been listed among those winning participants of Math Kangaroo USA contests, including contests in Virginia and nationally. In 2025, Sakharpe has also been a member of Kangaroo Pi-oneers, a team from Old Donation School in Grade 6 that has won the gold medal in the Math Kangaroo Team Competition. Through her work in both mathematics and sciences, one can see how analytical thinking skills such as logic, curiosity and problem-solving can be used to solve completely different problems. For Dolphin Guard, those skills have been focused on solving a problem in the sphere of environmental protection. Her recognition in the project may be helpful for encouraging other young students to solve problems of conservation using science and engineering.
