Along with being a notable alum, Grafman has also served as an instructor in the HSU Environmental Resources Engineering Department for the last decade.

Grafman earned dual degrees from HSU in physical science and mathematics in 2004. He is known as an educator who combines strong values about sustainability with experiential learning.

As part of his teaching, Grafman is director of Practivistas Dominicana, a Spanish immersion and appropriate technology study abroad program. In it, students work with local community members to identify needs and design solutions. One year, for example, they built a classroom in the Dominican Republic using plastic bottles.

Grafman is also founder and president of Appropedia, a collaborative website focusing on sustainable projects. He is the CEO of Propelsion, a technology incubator in Humboldt County, an advisor to numerous design projects, and a board member of multiple nonprofit organizations.