• Patti Grace Smith Fellow, Class of 2026

• California Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering, ‘28

• Host Institution: Blue Origin

Maxwell Braithwaite is a researcher and student-athlete at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where he balances rigorous academic pursuits with leadership and competitive athletics. Originally from Rochester, New York, and a graduate of Webster Thomas High School. His technical background includes significant research contributions at the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) and the Pellegrino Space Structures group at Caltech. Currently a member of Lloyd House and Parsec (Caltech Rocketry), Maxwell also competes as a member of the Caltech D3 Track and Field team.