Hi, I am Vehd! 

I’m a 18-year-old from Seattle and a student at Eastside Preparatory School, where I spend most of my time building, biking, or experimenting to answer one big question: how can engineering help the environment?

Since I was nine, I’ve been combining research, robotics, and real-world data to explore that question. Early on, I ran air-quality experiments around my house using PM2.5 sensors and tested how different plants absorb carbon dioxide. More recently, I’ve shifted from measuring problems to engineering solutions. I built IDEAR—an Investigative and Debris Elimination Aquatic Robot—to collect golf balls polluting ocean floors, winning 1st place at the Washington State Science and Engineering Fair and the Navy League STEM Award.

Today, I lead the Coral Crusaders, an independent underwater robotics team that designs ROVs for marine conservation. As CEO and Mechanical Lead, I helped engineer Dragonfly, a modular ROV that earned 1st place at the Pacific Northwest MATE ROV Regional Competition, 4th at the World Championships, and the Marketing Display Award. The experience taught me that complex environmental problems aren’t solved alone—they’re solved collaboratively, with mechanical engineers, coders, and climate thinkers working together.

Outside the lab and pool, I still chase environmental impact—mostly on two wheels. I’ve biked over 5,000 miles to school since 8th grade, led a Kirkland Town Hall on Bikes through Sustainability Ambassadors, and started Biker’s Ed to help more students ride to school safely.

Whether it’s through robotics, data analysis, or a 20-mile daily ride, I’m learning what it means to live my values through action—and to keep asking not just what can I build, but what can we build, together.