WPHS senior Olivia Tuzel publishes groundbreaking study on sustainable menstrual products

When White Plains High School senior Olivia Tuzel first began thinking about the environmental impact of feminine hygiene products, it was little more than a lingering idea from middle school, where she wondered why something so essential generated so much waste.

Today, that idea has evolved into a peer-reviewed scientific publication, a special issue of the MDPI journal Eng.

Olivia’s research -- titled “Invasive Plant to Product: Exploring Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) as an Absorbent Core in a Sustainable Feminine Pad” -- studies whether one of the world’s most aggressive invasive plant species can be transformed into a viable, sustainable, absorbent core for menstrual pads.

“I am thrilled to share that senior Olivia Tuzel has had her research published. Her article highlights her innovative work exploring sustainable materials,” said Kimberly Fleming, WPHS Science Research teacher, who noted that Olivia completed the project with the support of her mentor, Oregon State University Associate Professor Dr. Willie (Skip) Rochefort of the School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering.

Olivia spoke passionately about her project and expressed her deep appreciation for Dr. Skip, as he’s known, as well as everyone who has helped her along the way, including mentors at the University of Utah and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse.

“At this point, he's like a second father figure, to be honest, because it extended past science research and this project, but also just like genuine interest in my goals for the future,” she said about the OSU educator.

Olivia said she hopes the published study will “help pave the way for what I want to accomplish in the future, which is ultimately building sort of a business out of it and a legitimate prototype that people can actually use and that's safe.”

She explained that she came up with the idea for the study during her research class.

“It was like a eureka moment, to be honest,” Olivia said. “Like thinking about, you know what, maybe what I thought about in middle school isn't as unrealistic as I thought!”

Every year, billions of single-use menstrual products end up in landfills and waterways. Many contain plastics and chemical additives that are slow to degrade and potentially harmful. At the same time, Japanese knotweed continues to disrupt ecosystems worldwide, crowding out native plants and proving notoriously difficult to eradicate.

Olivia saw opportunity to tackle the vexing problem.

Her study evaluated whether fibers from Japanese knotweed could function as an absorbent core in a sustainable pad. After removing lignin through alkaline processing to improve absorbency, she constructed a proof-of-concept prototype and tested it against commercially available sustainable brands.

While her knotweed-based pads reached about 40 percent of the fluid capacity of a commercial pad, the results were promising for a minimally processed natural fiber.

Further testing through Kraft pulping — a conventional industrial method used to produce absorbent pulp — showed fiber dimensions comparable to hardwood pulps commonly used in commercial hygiene products.

For a first prototype developed outside of industrial conditions, the results established a strong baseline for future development.

Dr. Skip, who serves on the Global Hemp Innovation Center Faculty Advisory Board, enthusiastically supported his protégé, offering scientific feedback, general advice and a glowing recommendation for Harvard College.

“I have been a faculty member at Oregon State University since 1993 and have mentored over 150 high school students,” he said. “What I have learned about Olivia during this process is that she possesses a rare combination of scholarly rigor, creativity, and a strong moral compass.”

He noted that Olivia approached menstrual health not simply as a materials science question, but as an environmental, public health and social justice issue.

“She is quietly confident, intrinsically motivated, and deeply reflective,” Dr. Skip said. “In the end, for me, it is Olivia’s character that makes her unique.”

Much of Olivia’s early experimentation took place at home — sometimes transforming her family’s kitchen into a temporary laboratory.

“One of my biggest acknowledgments in the paper is to my parents for letting me convert our kitchen into a lab for two weeks,” she said, smiling. “There was just a designated spot for my materials.”

Her parents, immigrants from Poland, have supported her academic pursuits wholeheartedly. Olivia, who speaks Polish and remains closely tied to her cultural roots, credits her family for grounding her perspective and encouraging her ambitions.

She also received a district grant to cover publication costs, and earlier this year earned semifinalist recognition in a Columbia University junior science journal competition — validation that strengthened her confidence in the project’s vision.

"I’m incredibly proud of Olivia. Her publication raises the bar for every student in our Science Research program and shows that, with the right support and motivation, our students can produce work that stands up at a professional level,” said Ms. Fleming, who also is a SUNY Albany adjunct professor.

“Her success not only celebrates her own dedication but also sets a powerful example that I hope inspires other students to pursue publishing their own research,” she added.

Though her research is grounded in engineering and sustainability, Olivia plans to pursue international relations and philosophy in college. She has already been accepted to the University of St. Andrews, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

Rather than viewing science and global affairs as separate paths, she sees them as complementary.

“It’s the crossroads that brings both together,” Olivia explained. “In my head, it’s becoming a representative for menstrual health equity — balancing the humanities of international relations with the scientific tools to directly support people.”

She hopes to continue refining her knotweed-based prototype in college, ideally transforming it into a viable product by her senior year. While she estimates that perfecting fiber manipulation could take two to three years — with additional time needed to develop business acumen — she envisions the project evolving far beyond proof of concept.

“This is mainly the first stage,” she said. “The next four years will help this bloom into something greater.”

At the heart of Olivia’s work is a commitment to shifting the conversation around menstruation.

“There’s this idea that menstruation is very taboo,” she said. “But it’s a normal biological process. It affects everyone, not just the people who experience it. Working toward making people healthier while making the planet cleaner should receive more focus.”

Olivia also recently submitted her research paper to the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), one of the most challenging and prestigious science competitions in the nation -- with a top prize of $250,000.

Through rigorous experimentation, interdisciplinary thinking and a deeply personal commitment to equity, Olivia has helped reframe how science, sustainability and social justice can intersect.

And she is proud that the publication of her work in the peer-reviewed journal stands as a powerful example of what student research can accomplish when curiosity meets conviction.