Team

Graduate Students

Dhanyasri Bolla
Dhanyasri is a masters student in the Engineering Management program at George Washington University (GWU). She received her Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology in 2023. Currently pursuing her master’s degree, Dhanya is interested in shifting into the finance field and is taking relevant courses to achieve this goal. Her undergraduate research focused on analyzing the performance of 5G waveforms over a 3D channel model. Professionally, she is skilled in Python, data visualization using Tableau and front-end web development. Her extracurricular interests include event management at university events and photography.

Selena Hinojos
Selena is a PhD student in the Engineering Management Program at GWU. She received her BS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2020 and her MS. in Civil Engineering at Penn State in 2022. Prior to joining FEW’s lab, Selena engaged in undergraduate research on topics including: analyzing biochar and conventional solid waste treatment, studying the ambient air quality from a waste facility in relation to a local rural community, evaluating the use of water treatment residuals for preventing the export of phosphorus in a rain garden and monitored a natural permeable pavement, designing an on-site building-scale full blackwater reuse system. Her research interests span the areas of climate change, sustainable landscape and urbanism, green infrastructure, and the food-energy-water nexus. In her free time she enjoys hiking with her dog and playing volleyball.

Abbey Kollar
Abbey is a doctoral student in the Systems Engineering Ph.D. program at GWU. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering with honors and a minor in Applied Economics from The Pennsylvania State University in 2023. Abbey’s undergraduate research focused on the conversion of plastics and biomass to oil and reducing nitrous oxide production from fertilizer use. Her research interests include renewable energy systems, climate change, economics, and policy. As a DTAIS fellow, Abbey will integrate trustworthy AI into her research as well. When not in the office or class, Abbey is often found walking around the National Mall and exploring D.C.

Tarun Kumanduri
Tarun is a Master’s student in the Data Analytics Program at George Washington University, having earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad in 2023. His expertise in Data Analysis, Visualization, and Modeling is enhanced by his interest in Project Management and Strategic Planning. He served as an Operations Intern in the “School Innovation Challenge 2022,” a UNICEF and Government of Telangana initiative. His undergraduate research included projects like “You Walk We Authenticate” in the Machine Learning domain and “Smart Door Receptionist” in the Internet of Things domain. He is a certified Yoga Teacher and the Events Director for the George Washington Desis Student Organization.

Sachi Nandurkar
Sachi is a masters student in the Engineering Management program at GWU. She holds a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication from the Indian Institute of Information Technology and is passionate about strategic planning, project management and advanced data analysis. Her research at the FEW’s Lab focuses on the life cycle assessment and circularity of electric vehicles, analyzing industry data, and examining their connections with policy implications. Apart from this, as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, she teaches labs on advanced Excel, SQL, and ERDs at GWU School of Business. She is also a Career Services Ambassador at GWU SEAS where she organizes events and class visits to foster student-faculty connections and develops career analysis dashboards. She interned as a Data Analyst at Infinity Automation Systems and has managed a global student exchange program as a Client Relationship Manager at AIESEC. She loves Formula One and is the author of a WordPress blog called “Constellation of Thoughts.”

Ji Qi
Ji is a graduate student in the Systems Engineering Ph.D. program at GWU. He received his BS in Economic Statistics from Zhengzhou University in 2020 and his MS. in Management Science and Engineering (Industrial Engineering) at Tianjin University in 2023. His past research topics mainly include the following areas: financial risk network construction, systematic risk analysis, product reliability and degradation modeling, Markov Decision Processes Based on Reinforcement Learning. He is trying to combine economy, decision science and network science in his future research. If you are interested in any of areas mentioned above, you can contact him at ji.qi1@gwmail.gwu.edu. In his free time, he enjoys photography, hiking, and playing guitar. He is also a fan of classical music and Chinese painting.

Undergraduate Students:

Rebecca Germaine Rebecca Germiane is an undergraduate student at GWU studying Public Health with a minor in Psychology. Rebecca has engaged in research at the Camden Coalition, evaluating the substance use recovery system in New Jersey to provide recommendations to New Jersey Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. While volunteering on a medical mission in Ghana, Rebecca organized the limited sterile procedure supplies and inventory, documented all patient encounters, and observed trends in the incidence of diseases in the local community. Rebecca was the president of GW Women’s Career Connect, creating opportunities for students to engage with representatives from prominent companies such as Google, Mattel, and EY. She is interested in researching how climate change and environmental health intersects with Public Health issues, particularly in underserved communities such as the indigenous communities in the Arctic.

About Dr. Grady, Principle Investigator

Dr. Grady is an Associate Professor in the Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Department at The George Washington University in Washington DC. She is also a Nonresident Fellow for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Prior to joining GWU, Dr. Grady served as an Assistant Professor at The Pennsylvania State University. Her academic background and research expertise spans a variety of engineering and policy domains across food, energy, and water systems. This includes both qualitative and quantitative approaches to studying systems such as agricultural trade, the electricity grid, natural hazards, and adaptation to climate change. Prior to her academic roles, she held several federal government roles including with the House of Representatives, the Department of Energy, and the Department of State. In these roles, she worked on a myriad of issues including agriculture, water & energy, air quality,  budget & appropriations, international development, and diplomatic engagement.

Education: Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Purdue University; Masters in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, Bachelors in Science and Technology Studies (Humanities, Science, and the Environment Major, Environmental Policy and Planning Minor), Virginia Tech.

Student Awards

• Abbey Kollar – National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (awarded 2024)
• Lauren Dennis – Presidential Management Fellow (2023)
• Sarah Torhan – National Defense Science and Engineering Fellow (awarded 2022)
• Sarah Torhan – Fulbright Fellow (awarded 2022)
• Sarah Torhan – Boren Fellow (awarded 2022)
• Autumn Deitrick – National Science Foundation Research Fellow (awarded in 2021)
• Autumn Deitrick – 2020 Barry Goldwater Scholar
• Autumn Deitrick – 2021 Channa C. and Ushrani Reddy Mission Award
• Selena Hinojos – Penn State University Bunton-Waller Fellowship 2020-2021
• Luis Delgado – National GEM Consortium GEM Fellow
• Luis Delgado – Penn State University Bunton-Waller Fellowship 2020-2021
• Abby Cowser – American Society of Civil Engineers 2020 New Faces of Civil Engineering, 2020
• Abby Cowser – Penn State John W. Oswald Award , 2020
• Lauren Dennis – Penn State University Graduate Fellowship, 2019-2020
• Lauren Dennis – NSF National Research Traineeship Fellowship, 2020-2021
• Paniz Mohammadpour – CUAHSI Travel Scholarship to attend a workshop, Spring 2019
• Jack Iffert – Ralph Dorn Hetzel Memorial Award, Spring 2019
• Jack Iffert – Engineering Technology and Ethics Fellowship, Fall 2018
• Tasnuva Mahjabin – Penn State College of Engineering Travel Grant to attend the AGU fall conference
• Tasnuva Mahjabin – Acceptance and travel award to attend the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center Graduate Student Workshop on Socio-Environmental Synthesis, Fall 2018
• Andrew Pannone – College of Engineering Research Initiative (CERI) Scholarship, Spring 2018
• Andrew Pannone – College of Engineering Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Summer Fellowship, Summer 2018

Previous Students

• 2017-2018 Jose Fernandez; Masters of Engineering, Graduated Spring 2018 | Penn State Civil Engineering, Water Resources | Currently a Project Engineer in Ecuador
• 2017-2018 Andrew Pannone; Undergraduate Student, Sophomore | Penn State  Engineering | Currently a PhD Student at Penn State in Dr. Saptarshi Das Lab
• 2018-2019 Jack Iffert; B.S. Civil Engineering, Senior, Graduated Spring 2019 | Currently a Transportation Planning and Traffic Operations Analyst at Kimley Horn
• 2018-2019 Jared Lawrence; Masters of International Affairs, Graduated Spring 2019 | PSU School of International Affairs|
• 2019 Summer Maya Zambrano-Lee; Visiting undergraduate student from the University of Maryland | Project Drawdown REU| Currently a Sustainability Intern with the City of Brunswick
• 2019-2020 Abby Cowser; B.S. Civil Engineering, Senior, Graduated Spring 2020| Currently a Staff Engineer at WDP & Associates Consulting Engineering Inc.
• 2017-2020 Tasnuva Mahjabin; Ph.D. Civil Engineering Water Resources, Graduated Sp2020| Currently a Water Resources Engineer II at Atkins
• 2019-2021 Autumn Deitrick; B.S. Civil Engineering, Senior, Graduated Sp2021| Completed a M.S. MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint PhD Program; Currently a Ph.D. student in Engineering Education at Penn State
• 2020-2022 Tori Lenze; B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Graduated Sp2022| Currently a graduate student at Penn State
• 2021-2022 Yuchen Fu; B.S. Civil Engineering, Graduated in Sp2023| Currently a graduate student at Stanford University
• 2021-2022 Xinran Zhang; B.S. Civil Engineering, Graduated in Sp2023| Currently a graduate student at the University of Michigan
• 2020-2022 Luis Delgado; M.S. Civil Engineering, Graduated Su2022| Currently pursuing his PhD in Engineering Education at Penn State
• 2020-2022 Sarah Torhan; M.S. Civil Engineering, Graduated Fa2021| Currently pursuing her PhD in Civil Engineering at Penn State
• 2019-2023 Lauren Dennis; Ph.D. Civil Engineering, Climate Science, Graduated Su 2023| Currently a Presidential Management Fellow at Bureau of Reclamation
• 2018-2023 Paniz Mohammadpour; Ph.D. Civil Engineering, Graduated Sp 2023| Currently a Water Resources Engineer II at Atkin

*Current and prospective undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to contact Dr. Grady to inquire about available positions. You can also find out the latest news about our lab’s hiring plans by following us on Twitter.