Professor Groat’s research interests include interpretations of environmental meaning, place theory, gender issues in architectural education, as well as research design and methods. Her foundational work in these areas has had a significant impact on design studies research, and has received recognition in the academic realm as well as in national media such as U.S. News and World Report and Women in Higher Education. The University of Michigan honored her work on gender in architectural education with the 1998 Sarah Goddard Power Award.