Jacob R. Grohs

Jacob R. Grohs is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Education within the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on systems thinking, multi-stakeholder partnerships, and collaborative change in education, particularly in rural and underserved communities. He directs the Center for Educational Networks and Impacts (CENI), which fosters applied research and community engagement to improve educational ecosystems through long-term partnerships with schools, museums, and organizations.

Education:

• Ph.D. Educational Psychology, Virginia Tech (2015)
• M.A.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction, Virginia Tech (2012)
• M.S. Engineering Mechanics, Virginia Tech (2009)
• B.S. Engineering Science & Mechanics, Virginia Tech (2008)

Research Interests: Grohs' work emphasizes systems thinking assessment, rural STEM education access, and industry-school collaborations. He has secured over $7.5M in external grants, including an NSF CAREER Award (2020) and the Engagement Scholarship Consortium Excellence Award (2020).

Grants & Funding: Key projects include $1M for youth-centered civic technology (NSF CIVIC-FA), $2.4M for engineering pathways in Appalachia (NSF), and partnerships with Ford Motor Company and the National Board of Medical Examiners.

• Directed CENI’s community engagement initiatives
• Co-led projects on rural STEM education and health systems citizenship
• Published extensively on systems thinking, engineering pedagogy, and collaborative education models

Awards:

• NSF CAREER Award (2020)
• Engagement Scholarship Consortium Excellence in Community Engagement (2020)
• Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award (2020)

Labs/Teams: Leads CENI and collaborates with the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology to address educational inequities through interdisciplinary approaches.