Spotlight: Grace Gratton Aviation Week's 20 Twenties Winner 2026

Grace Gratton, a junior studying space physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, shares her groundbreaking research and advice on dedication as a 2026 20 Twenties winner.

 

Gratton develops resilient consensus algorithms for autonomous drone swarms in contested environments. Her biologically inspired Synchronous Hatching Consensus Algorithm enables coordination even when agents are compromised, resulting in first-author publications, a filed patent and ongoing validation on physical platforms.

 

A Goldwater Scholar, she completed a heliophysics internship at the Air Force Research Laboratory analyzing solar wind predictions to protect critical space assets. After being steered away from technical roles early in her education, she demonstrated her capability by leading design teams, mentoring peers and translating theory into working systems. She plans to pursue doctoral research in autonomous and space systems.