Dr. C Grimsley

Assistant Professor

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Biography

C. Kat Grimsley is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Finance at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She obtained her Ph.D. in Land Economics from the University of Cambridge in 2015, an M.S. in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins University in 2010, and a B.S. in Finance from Gies College of Business, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2001. Her professional journey includes roles as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Alicante's Housing Economics Research Group and as an Expert Witness at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. Grimsley's extensive experience encompasses leadership positions in real estate analytics and education, including serving as Director of the MS Real Estate Development program at George Mason University. She has been recognized with several awards, including the Teacher Ranked Excellent by students at the University of Illinois and being named a Distinguished Fellow by the NAIOP Research Foundation. Her research interests focus on development approvals, foreign investment, and real estate finance, with notable publications in industry-leading journals. Grimsley actively engages with the community, serving on various committees and initiatives in urban development and real estate education.

Research Interests

Experience

Clinical Assistant Professor

— Present

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign • Champaign, IL

Teaching finance-related courses and contributing to academic programs.

Visiting Scholar

— Present

University of Alicante • Alicante, Spain

Engaging in research focused on housing economics.

Expert Witness

— Present

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP • Remote

Provided expert testimony in real estate related cases.

Principal

— Present

Abeja Analytics • Remote

Leading analytics projects within the real estate sector.

Director, MS Real Estate Development program

— Present

George Mason University • Fairfax, VA

Oversaw the MS Real Estate Development program and taught various courses.

Doctoral Researcher/Candidate

— Present

University of Cambridge • Cambridge, UK

Conducted research in land economy.

International Realty Specialist

— Present

U.S. Department of State, Bureau Overseas Buildings Operations • Washington, D.C.

Managed international real estate projects.

Awards

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Teacher Ranked Excellent by Students

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Distinguished Fellow

#

Platinum Impact Award

#

Faculty of the Year

Courses

Business Abroad (BUS 199) Real Estate Finance Academy (FIN 395) Financial Modeling (FIN 418) Real Estate Investment (FIN 445) Real Estate Development (FIN 447) Advanced Real Estate Investments (FIN 448)

Requirements for University of Illinois

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:17
Reading
Required:19
Writing
Required:21
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:103
GRE General
Prerequisites
Mathematical background Linear Algebra Calculus
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

GRE is optional for admission to all graduate programs in Statistics. Full status admission requires higher language scores than limited status.