Mechanical Engineering graduate, Wyatt Stoute, selected as the Spring 2026 College of Engineering’s Outstanding Graduate

The college is proud to announce Mr. Wyatt Stoute as the Spring 2026 College of Engineering Outstanding Graduate. Wyatt is a Mechanical Engineering major with a concentration in Sustainable Energy Systems and minors in Mathematics and Renewable Energy, all completed in three years.

As a first-generation college student, Wyatt took deliberate steps to prepare for the rigor of engineering coursework, including completing Calculus III through dual enrollment prior to high school graduation. During this same period, he competed as a four-year varsity athlete in cross country and track, earning All Region recognition.

As an Engineering Ambassador and later a Lead Engineering Ambassador, Wyatt represented the College of Engineering to prospective students, families, and external stakeholders. As a Lead Ambassador, he supported program operations, met regularly with leadership, led makeup meetings, and assisted with major recruitment events including Freshman Camp and Engineering & Technology Week.

As an incoming freshman, Wyatt was a member of the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP), where he was paired with Dr. Terrence Chamber’s Louisiana Solar Energy Lab. His independent research includes photovoltaic performance analysis during a rare Louisiana snow event, long term solar degradation modeling, and structural failure analysis related to wind loading. He has also contributed to collaborative work involving concentrating solar thermal systems, electroluminescence imaging procedures, and high-precision solar tracking system design.

In his sophomore year, Wyatt applied for and received an internship with Sandia National Laboratories. Sandia National Laboratories is a federally funded research and development center with a nationally recognized role in engineering, energy systems, and applied science. Within this environment, Wyatt demonstrated the ability to work independently and manage complex research tasks with minimal supervision, a level of trust earned through the course of his experience there. He was the first undergraduate selected to perform this type of work within his research group, and his success contributed to the later inclusion of another undergraduate research program. He is currently preparing first-author journal manuscripts with Sandia Labs under the title “Performance and Techno-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Orientation Photovoltaics in High Latitude Snowy Climates.”

Wyatt’s academic accomplishments have been recognized through multiple competitive awards at the university and college levels. These include designation as a UL Top Scholar, receipt of the Ray P. Authement Valedictorian Scholarship, and additional scholarships such as the Keith Lindley Endowed Scholarship, Student Government Association Scholarship, Oran Robert Perry Burke Scholarship, X Ray Inspection Scholarship, Lafayette Auto Dealers Scholarship, and Louis Mann Engineering Scholarship. He was also selected as one of 40 participants in the College’s Designing Leaders program and as one of five participants in the UL Lafayette exchange program in Chile.

Wyatt also served on the Dean’s Student Advisory Council (DSAC), where he represented students involved in the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP) and served as a founding member of the Engineering First Year Experience subcommittee. In addition to DSAC, Wyatt holds multiple leadership positions at both the college and university levels. As an honors student, he served on the Honors Program Student Advisory Board. Within the College of Engineering, he served as President of the Mechanical Engineering Honor Society, Pi Tau Sigma, and an officer in the university’s student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Academically, Wyatt pursued one of the most demanding paths available within the College of Engineering. He was admitted to the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Program and is on track to become the first student in the history of the college to earn both degrees within four years. He has also passed the Fundamentals of Engineering examination and will earn Engineering Intern designation upon graduation.

Wyatt’s served as the first Supplemental Instructor for the Dynamics course, supporting students in one of the department’s most challenging core classes. This experience inspired his interest in teaching and mentorship. He has also served as a peer mentor, volunteered with ACT preparation and MathCounts, and remained active in community service through St. Joseph Diner and YoungLife.

Additional leadership is demonstrated through Wyatt’s role as a project manager and structures team member for the Cajun Advanced Picosatellite Experiment. As project manager, he led a team of newly recruited undergraduates and designed a structured training system that prepared them to contribute to advanced phases of the project. The development and methodology of this system were documented in the New Undergraduate Training System poster.

Looking ahead, Wyatt plans to complete his master’s degree at UL Lafayette and pursue doctoral study at the nation’s most prestigious institutions, with the ultimate goal of returning to UL Lafayette as a faculty member. His recent interest in transitioning from photovoltaics to semiconductors reflects his continued pursuit of technical challenge. He is motivated not only by advanced research, but by a desire to give back through teaching and mentorship, helping educate the people who will solve the problems of tomorrow.

Wyatt exemplifies what it means to be the College of Engineering’s Outstanding Graduate through his academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to success.

Congratulations Wyatt!