My name is Sarvesh Garimella, and I am the Chief Scientist and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at MyRadar. We provide real-time alerting and visualization services to help people facing inclement weather and other environmental hazards. We are also government contractors, working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Office of Naval Research, the United States Air Force (USAF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and other government agencies. I first became involved with the NOSB as a high schooler during the 2004–2005 school year. At the time, I had no idea just how much NOSB would shape my life. Over the three years I participated as a student, our team won three regional competitions and competed in three National competitions. That journey opened the door to unique experiences: traveling to Pacific Grove and visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California, exploring the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes, and seeing other amazing places.
Each trip wasn’t just about the competition: it was about discovery, friendship, and inspiration. I met incredible, like-minded people who shared my passion for science, many of whom remain my friends today.
The NOSB pushed me far beyond the boundaries of my school curriculum. It encouraged me to dive deeper, to ask more questions, and to make connections between what I learned in the classroom and the real-world science shaping our planet. That spark guided my choice to study Earth, planetary, and climate sciences, first as an undergraduate at Caltech and later during my PhD at MIT.
The discipline, curiosity, and collaborative spirit NOSB fostered in me became essential skills for my research, from designing experiments to analyzing data to communicating results.
NOSB’s impact on my life didn’t end when I graduated high school. I’ve remained deeply connected to the program as a volunteer over the past 20 years, trying to give a little back to the community that gave me so much. Every year, I look forward to sharing my experiences with students, showing them what a career in science can look like and encouraging them to dream big. Seeing the same spark of curiosity in them has been so very rewarding, and I would be deeply saddened if future students were denied the opportunities I had. The NOSB is more than just a competition. It’s a launchpad for the next generation of scientists, innovators, and ocean stewards. It is a venue where students can not only discover the ocean, but also their own potential.
Supporting the NOSB means investing in young minds, in a future where curiosity, collaboration, and science are valued and celebrated. An investment in NOSB is an investment in American innovation.
Please consider this letter my deepest endorsement of the continuation of the NOSB and all that it does to shape the next generation.
