W&L’s Grayden Holliday ’26 Earns Fulbright Research Award to Austria Holliday will work on computational protein design at the Graz Institute of Technology before pursuing a Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Washington.
Washington and Lee University senior Grayden Holliday ’26 has received a Fulbright-Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Award to conduct biochemical research at the Graz Institute of Technology in Graz, Austria. At W&L, Holliday is a biochemistry and German double major with a minor in music. Holliday is a native of Midlothian, Virginia, and a graduate of Midlothian High School.
In Graz, Holliday will work on a computational protein design project under the direction of Dr. Gustav Oberdorfer, a specialist in the protein design field. He plans to design a new protein catalyst (an enzyme) from scratch that accelerates a reaction called cyclic imine formation, which is relevant to medicine production; from there, he will adjust the algorithms used to generate the protein to incorporate new considerations in the design process.
The Fulbright is an important step in Holliday’s plan to pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry with a focus on protein design at the University of Washington in Seattle, which houses the Institute of Protein Design, a major hub of research and innovation in the field. By working with computational protein and enzyme design in Austria, he will be well-equipped to begin his doctoral studies, and he hopes to use the scientific connections he makes through his Fulbright to open new avenues for collaboration with his future research group.
“This opportunity will be a huge step in my scientific career, allowing me to engage with protein design early and giving me a head start in graduate school,” Holliday said. “It is also a chance to stay engaged with my German language skills after college and to make new friends and connections abroad. I think I will grow significantly as a person by living independently in Austria and challenging myself to try new things and adapt to a different culture and lifestyle. I am especially excited about the abundance of hikes around Graz, as well as the city’s rich musical and artistic communities.”
Holliday was first drawn to Austria while studying abroad in the country for Spring Term 2025 with Debra Prager, associate professor of German and department head. Prager’s course, “Traces of Empire,” explored the history of Austria and emphasized cultural and language immersion, with students spending three weeks in Vienna and one week with a host family in Graz. Holliday’s experiences with his host family and language partner (a local Austrian student) greatly impacted his time abroad, and he appreciated how Austrians seemed to be more present “in the moment” than Americans, prioritizing meaningful connections and conversation.
“I noticed Austrians made strong efforts to spend quality time with others and engage with the local community whenever they could,” Holliday said. “I was inspired by these efforts and their down-to-earth lifestyle, which led me to change my own way of thinking and approach to life for the better.”
Holliday is grateful to Prager for fostering his interest in German and promoting deeper engagement with different cultures. He also appreciates the support he has received from his mentors in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, including Erin Gray, assistant professor of chemistry; Kyle Friend, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry; and Sarah Kim, assistant professor of chemistry. His professors pushed him to challenge himself and grow as a student, researcher and person, and he is grateful to them for helping him discover his research interests and develop the critical thinking and lab skills needed to succeed in graduate school.
At W&L, Holliday is a cellist in the University Orchestra, a disc-jockey for WLUR (the university’s radio station), a co-president of the “Crux” Climbing Club and a member of the Outing Club, where he serves as a second-year key staff and outdoor trip leader, as well as the head route setter for the Outing Club’s climbing wall. Holliday also volunteers with Languages for Rockbridge, teaching German language and culture to local elementary school students.
With the Fulbright, Holliday will depart in October 2026 for his nine-month program. Upon completion of the program, Holliday will begin his Ph.D. program at the University of Washington. After his Ph.D., he plans to pursue a post-doctoral fellowship at a university abroad and ultimately become a professor at a high-level research institution.
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Washington and Lee University is proud to be included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2025-2026 Fulbright U.S. Students for the eighth consecutive year.
The Fulbright Program was established more than 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. For more information, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org/. W&L students interested in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program should contact Matthew Loar in the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning (Leyburn 114) or by email at mloar@wlu.edu.
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