Teaching
Teaching Philosophy
Dr. Grady’s teaching interests include a variety of systems engineering, engineering design, and environmental policy courses. Her pedagogy blends active learning and problem-based learning approaches, combining student-centered instruction with real-world problems. These methods emphasize critical thinking and the application of technical knowledge to transdisciplinary topics.
In recent years, she has taught and guest lectured in several courses, including:
- Global Environmental Politics
- Communicating with Policymakers
- Global Sustainable Engineering
- Engineering Environmental Sustainability
- Water & Wastewater Treatment
- Introduction to Sustainable Water Resources
- Introduction to Environmental Engineering
Current Course Instruction
EMSE 6740: Systems Thinking and Policy Modeling I (3 Credits)
Institution: The George Washington University
Semester: Every Spring
Policy analysis with applications to business management and public policy. Topics include causal-loop diagrams, stock and flow models of business, technology adoption, and marketing. The course incorporates role-based games to explore principles of systems thinking and uses simulation to analyze complex case studies.
EMSE 1001: Introduction to Systems Engineering (1 Credit)
Institution: The George Washington University
Semester: Every Fall
Core concepts in systems engineering; processes of system decomposition and integration; upfront conceptual design, rapid prototyping, structured testing, balanced work, lean processes, and design for manufacturability.
Past Courses Taught
CE 360: Fluid Mechanics
Institution: Penn State University, University Park
Semesters: Fall 2017, Spring 2019, Spring 2020
CE 597: Ethics, Engineering, and Environmental Management
Institution: Penn State University, University Park
Semesters: Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020
Research to Advance Teaching
Dr. Grady has secured National Science Foundation funding to advance understanding around teaching ethics. She is currently working on a multi-year award to develop engaged student learning through coupled ethical-epistemic pedagogy. More about the award can be found here