Fritz van Graan graduated as mechanical engineer at UP in 1983, whereafter he worked at the CSIR as a research engineer in thermodynamics and heat mechanics for two years. He completed his BEng(Hons) in 1985, while he was working at Armscor as a systems and design engineer for three years. He joined the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering of the University of Pretoria as Lecturer in 1988 and also worked as a consultant engineer in the field of vibration isolation, component development and design engineering. He obtained his MEng in 1995. From 2004 he managed his own business in manufacturing of anti-vibration equipment and components and lectured part-time at UP.  He joined the Department of Civil Engineering in 2008 as a Senior lecturer. He is also working as a consultant engineer in the field of engine development, vibration isolation and design and manufacturing of components. He is a registered professional engineer.

His Current Research interests are Assisting a group in developing a rotor-type fuel engine, Characterising of poly-urethane elastomers, Research in the field of adhering elastomers to metals and other materials and Expansion energy of materials when heated up.