Team

Post Doctoral Scholar

Sachraa HeadshotDr. Sachraa G. Borjigin

Sachraa is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Department at GWU. Prior to joining the FEWsLab, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, supported by the Ruth L. Kirschstein Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA) from the NIH/NIEHS. His research mainly focuses on network modeling of transportation systems, human mobility, environmental health, and their connections with policy implications. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the International Society of Exposure Sciences (ISES). Sachraa received his B.S. in Engineering Management, M.S. in Civil Engineering (Structures) from the University of Maine, Orono, and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Systems) from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Doctoral Students

SelenaHeadshotSelena 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 HeadshotAbbey Kollar
Abbey is a graduate 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.

JiQi 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:

Are you an undergrad at GWU interested in sustainable systems!? Email me to discuss joining my lab!

About Dr. Grady, Principle Investigator

Dr. Grady is an Assistant 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

  • 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 Atkins

*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.