Sitting on the branches of a tree, Savya Agarwal (’25) pulls out his notebook and a pen. Observing carefully, he marks down every trait of the surrounding birds: noting their distinctive chirps, sketching their beak and body shape and identifying their behavior. As Savya jumps down, he scans his notes and uploads them to the cloud.

Savya’s fascination with biology began the first time he saw an animal. From that moment on, he watched closely — the chirps of insects, the singing of birds, the movement of ants across the ground.

“The first animals I ever saw in real life, I was immediately entranced by the sheer diversity of them, the sheer magnitude from the biggest whale to the smallest ant,” Savya said. “It’s always made me more curious about the world.”

That curiosity grew into a deep interest in ecology, which connects living things to their environment. Savya’s junior year biology teacher, Eric Johnson, recognizes his talent and dedication to biology.

“The skills I saw in him — the research skills, the science, writing skills, the basic knowledge in biology — were immense,” Johnson said. “You combine that with someone who loves this topic, he absolutely needs to be a biologist.”

Last year, Savya took his learning to the next level when he traveled to a Canadian research outpost. There, he studied animals in their natural habitat and experienced something unforgettable.

“I was kayaking while observing some beluga whales and pods kept coming up towards me,” Savya said. “We weren’t allowed to touch them because it was illegal and could transmit diseases, but one of them passed under us and sprayed water with its breathing hole in my face, which I thought was pretty funny. It was surreal to be interacting with the animals so closely.”

His connection with nature extends beyond biology. Savya channels his experiences into art, writing and even martial arts. These interests may seem separate, but they are all parts of who he is.

“Biology is just a part of me,” Savya said. “I’ve used the arts to express myself whenever I needed to, whether it was drawing or martial arts like capoeira. They’ve been relatively separate but still integral to who I am as a whole.”

His sketches capture wilderness landscapes — simple hobbies, but windows into the world he studies. Meanwhile, his writing explores fantastical worlds inspired by his love of Dungeons & Dragons, fantasy books and movies.

“I love exploring stories,” Savya said. “That’s why I play video games, why I read. I want to immerse myself in the characters and the setting. It exercises my mind in a way real life hasn’t been able to do.”

Savya’s creativity and dedication have made a strong impression on close friend Brendon Hayes (’25), who first met him during frosh year.

“He’s a very creative person and comes up with a lot of ideas that are original and interesting to think about,” Brendon said. “His unique personality, his childhood experiences like playing Pokémon and exploring open worlds, all feed into his creativity. When working with him on projects, I’ve noticed how hard he works and how committed he is to finishing what he starts.”

That commitment shines through in his biology work, especially his final project for the class. His research on red pandas and their ecological role went far beyond expectations.

“I told him, ‘Good gracious, you know the research you’re doing at this end-of-the-year project is something that could go on to be a thesis for a master’s degree, right?’” Johnson said. “Someone who fundamentally cares about ecology did this project. You can really see it from the work that was put into it.”

Whether kayaking in the Canadian tundra or playing board games with friends, Savya brings his best efforts to every pursuit. The lessons he’s learned keep him moving forward.

“I always feel like I try something and I get knocked down,” Savya said. “But I have to always remind myself: It doesn’t matter how many times you get knocked down, you just gotta keep getting back up. That’s the part that matters. That’s what I do no matter what I try.”