Advising

Academic advisors

Chris Hertz, Manager of Academic Programs, advises students in the Ph.D. program and works with students in the M.S. in Computational Design and Manufacturing program. 

chertz@andrew.cmu.edu
Office: Scaife Hall 405
Phone: 412-268-3175

 
Melissa Brown, Graduate Academic Advisor, advises students in the M.S. in Mechanical Engineering programs. 

mlb2@andrew.cmu.edu
Office: Scaife Hall 407
Phone: 412-268-1562 

The department's graduate academic advisors meet regularly with students to support and assist them during their experience at Carnegie Mellon. They:

• Serve as a general guide for students from enrollment through to graduation
• Provide assistance with academic or personal situations that students do not have the information or resources to resolve
• Assist in navigating degree requirements and graduate student policies
• Verify progress toward degree requirements
• Discuss course options based on focus area
• Assist with registration issues including waitlists, research units, registrar forms, etc.
• Discuss resources available for students who face challenges in courses and research
• Be accessible through appointments, walk-ins, email, and phone. 

Faculty research advisors

For students in the Ph.D. program, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering - Research program, and M.S. in Computational Design and Manufacturing program, faculty research advisors will:

• Guide the student through the successful completion of a research project
• Discuss courses students may take that fit the research project
• Discuss challenges students face in their courses or in research
• Discuss tradeoffs between different opportunities that students might choose from
• Discuss research for credit and summer research opportunities in the faculty's lab
• Discuss general technical subjects in mechanical engineering
• Offer general advice and mentoring.

Faculty mentors

Faculty mentors offer advice and guidance when contacted by an academic advisor with master's students' questions that are outside of the advisor’s expertise.  

Career consultants 

Shaina Tsupros of the Career and Professional Development Center will: 

• Help you to create and update your resume
• Teach you how to search for a summer internship and full-time job
• Provide many resources for your internship/job search
• Offer advice on how to interview, how to navigate a career fair, what to say to employers at career fairs, how to network, how to write a cover letter, and how to evaluate/negotiate a job offer.

Alumni advisors

Volunteer alumni advisors may:

• Answer questions about life after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University
• Give insight into career paths
• Give advice on pursuing a graduate degree
• Answer questions about working at specific companies
• Look over resumes, drawing on their particular experiences
• Point to professional skills they gained while at CMU that helped them in their career path, and other skills that they later found useful