Students Earn Second Place for Research Presentation at Environmental Symposium

Four Lafayette students earned second place in the undergraduate presentation category at the 27th Annual Interdisciplinary Environmental Research Symposium, hosted by Penn State University.

The team delivered a joint oral presentation titled “Microbial Enhanced Phosphorus Recovery from Wastewater Solids,” highlighting innovative research aimed at improving sustainability in wastewater treatment.

Presenters included Holly Dearworth ’25, Erin Caputo ’25, and Grace Trautwein ’26, all Integrative Engineering majors, and Ally Krohg ’27, an Environmental Science major. MaryEllen Steiner ’28, a Chemical Engineering major, contributed to the research as a member of the lab team but was not present at the conference. Their work was conducted under the guidance of advisors Dr. Arthur Kney, Dr. Joe Colosi, and Dr. Jennifer Rao.

The Penn State Interdisciplinary Environmental Research Symposium (PIERS) is a student-led symposium that brings together researchers from diverse fields related to environmental studies. Graduate and undergraduate students from all institutions are invited to present posters and oral presentations in disciplines such as biology, chemistry, engineering, policy, sociology, and beyond. The Lafayette students’ success at the conference is a testament to the team’s technical skill and commitment to seeking real-world environmental solutions.