What’s next for the Class of 2026: Grace Trautwein

“What’s next for the Class of 2026” is a series that features Lafayette grads—where they’re headed, and the mentors, resources, and experiences that inspired their future path. Stay tuned for more stories throughout April and May.

(Photo | JaQuan Alston)

By Maddie Pedone ’26 

Major:

Integrative engineering with an environment and energy concentration, and a  mathematics minor 

Destination/future plans:

Attending Stanford University to receive her master’s in environmental engineering

Involvement on campus: 

Grace Trautwein ’26 has been involved with many different organizations on campus from serving as chapter president for Delta Gamma (2025) to working as the statistician for the women’s volleyball team. She has also been a member of the Society of Integrative Engineers. 

A large part of her time, however, has been dedicated to research. Trautwein was named a Clare Booth Luce Scholar during her second semester of her first year. She became an EXCEL Scholar in 2024, and now continues the work as part of her thesis, “Optimizing Phosphorus Recovery From Wastewater Biosolids.” 

“What we’re doing is using bacteria to pull phosphorus out of water and wastewater to use for fertilizer,” Trautwein says, noting that phosphorus is a finite resource. 

“What we’re trying to do is make a completely closed loop. We use something that has virtually no use, then pull the nutrient out of it so it’s a completely green and sustainable cycle.”  

Trautwein has presented her research at multiple conferences including the PIERS Conference at Penn State in spring 2025, where her team placed second in the overall presentation category.

The experiences that mattered most:

Trautwein says her research experience greatly guided her college career and next steps. 

“I think [research] is what set me up for my internship this past summer, where I worked at Lehigh County Authority, a water treatment laboratory,” she says. “I also think it played a really big role in my decision to go to graduate school.” 

Trautwein explained the reason she became involved with this research is because of her engineering professors, who really encourage and advocate for students to get involved with research. Today, she’s grateful for the network and connections she’s built because of that work.

How Lafayette shaped your future:

She believes one of the things that makes Lafayette a unique institution, and heavily shaped her future, is that here students are encouraged to do research as undergraduates.

Trautwein also explained the specific offering of classes in the Engineering Department have allowed her to have unique experiences, tailored to her field and interests. 

“The classes I’ve taken are so niche and specific to the students,” Trautwein says, noting courses such as Systems III offered hands-on experiences in integrated engineering, with a chance to create and design a potential future sustainability center.

Why Lafayette?

Trautwein loves the intimate academic structure at Lafayette, specifically the small class sizes and the dedication professors show for their students. 

“I could talk about the faculty for eons upon eons,” Trautwein says. “They’re phenomenal with how much they care, how involved they are, and how much they do for students.” 

She specifically shouted out her adviser, David Brandes, Walter A. Scott Chair of Integrative Engineering, professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Air Products Seifolah Ghasemi Chair in Engineering for Interdisciplinary Teaching, for his direct collaboration with students. 

“I’m doing a capstone with him, and we’re designing a sustainability center, but he’s actually on the project team with us, helping us design it,” Trautwein says of her civil engineering capstone design project. “He’s actively working on [the project] with us, adding to the document, coming to the site with us, taking measurements and pictures, and writing blurbs alongside ours.”   

The people who inspired you along the way:

Over the past year, Trautwein says her thesis adviser, Jennifer Rao, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, helped her not only with getting an internship and applying to graduate school, but also gaining confidence in the field of engineering. 

“She’s a person to look up to in STEM, especially in the way she cements herself in a field that’s predominately male dominated and makes it such a comfortable space for women in that field,” Trautwein says. “Working on my thesis with her, I have grown leaps and bounds in my scientific writing, and how I conduct a research meeting and heading the lab.” 

Christa Kelleher ’08, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Kate and Walter A. Scott ’59 Scholar in Engineering, has served as another inspirational figure for Trautwein as a woman in STEM. 

Kelleher provided support during her office hours even when Trautwein was not in her class to guide her through the graduate school application process. 

Advice for future Leopards:

For incoming students at Lafayette, Trautwein’s advice is to say yes to every opportunity, even if it does not work out in the end. 

“Take advantage of literally every opportunity imaginable,” Trautwein says. “Even if it doesn’t end up working out, at least you tried. You will find so many things that set you up for success, or you enjoy, or people you’ll meet who you wouldn’t have otherwise if you hadn’t said yes.”