phd engineering time

Part-time PhD Programs

Tufts School of Engineering’s part-time PhD Program helps working professionals achieve their education and career goals. Conduct cutting-edge research and develop new technologies with our world-class faculty, all while maintaining your employment in industry.

Our part-time PhD program is tailored for industry professionals who receive full financial support from their employers. Financial arrangements between the employee and employer must be agreed upon in advance. Tufts University does not offer stipends, scholarships, discounts, or financial support for this program. Part-time PhD students are not eligible for TA/RA positions, grading roles, or any other paid positions within the university. We strongly advise applicants to seek employer permission before considering external work. It's essential to adhere to employment agreements and program policies to ensure compliance.

Qualified domestic students who are interested in continued learning, developing their skill set, or expanding their career path are encouraged to apply. This program is not available to international applicants unless they are currently working for a U.S. company. No visas can be issued for part-time PhD students.

How to Apply

All applicants must submit the following materials: Contact an advisor or faculty member Contact the advisor or faculty member with whom you would like to study to talk about the specific requirements. Before applying you must first have a discussion with a faculty member to confirm that there is mutual interest in the research the applicant intends to pursue. A successful discussion and any agreement among the candidate and faculty member does not supersede the formal application process. All applicants must formally apply. The application will be reviewed following all the processes and guidelines established for SOE graduate applicants.

Online Application for Admission  Note: An application fee of $85 is payable through the online application by credit card or e-check (drawn on a U.S. bank). The application fee is not refundable. Your credit card or e-check statement is your receipt. Applications cannot be reviewed until this fee has been received. Check our website to see if you are eligible for a fee waiver. Start or resume your application here .

Academic Records  Applicants are required to upload a copy of transcripts received from each accredited college or university attended, where credit was earned toward an undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree. Transcripts for study abroad or transfer programs are not required if the course titles, grades, and credit hours are included on the transcript of the degree-granting institution. If the transcript is in a language other than English, you are required to provide a certified, official translation into English. If you are admitted and decide to enroll, you will be required to request the official hard copy transcripts from all of your degree granting institutions be sent directly to our Office of Graduate Admissions, from that institution, before you can matriculate. 

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) GRE scores are no longer required for candidates with an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited U.S. institution. Letters of Recommendation Most programs will require three letters of recommendation. Current Tufts students and alumni are only required to submit two letters. If an applicant submits three letters, one letter may be a commitment letter from your company that your studies will be supported. Letters of recommendation should be submitted through the online application system. If that is not possible, you may have your recommender email their letter as an attachment to [email protected], from a company/institutional/organization/professional email account. Personal Statement  Applicants are required to upload a personal statement describing your reasons for wanting to pursue graduate study at Tufts in the program to which you are applying. Please limit your personal statement to a maximum of five pages. Refer to the Requirements and Deadlines  to determine if the program to which you are applying has specific prompts.  Résumé / CV A current résumé or CV that includes information about, and dates of your educational history, employment, academic honors, scholarships, publications, and other activities is required to be uploaded as part of your completed application.

> Spring applications need to be completed and submitted by September 15th .

> Fall applications need to be completed and submitted by December 15th .

Some exceptions may be made by the faculty member you will be working with.

Tuition and Fees

Students who enroll part-time in an engineering PhD program will be responsible for all tuition and fees charged at a per semester rate. No scholarships, financial aid, or stipends are available for these programs. Please visit  https://asegrad.tufts.edu/tuition-aid/tuition-and-fees  for more details.

Financial Aid and Employer Tuition Reimbursement

Low-interest Federal Direct Loans and Federal Perkins Loans are administered by Tufts Student Financial Services which maintains information on all federal programs as well as alternative forms of financing such as non-need-based loans. Federal aid is available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. To apply for Federal Direct loans, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The form is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, and the Tufts University Institution code is 002219. We recommend that you file the FAFSA by December 1 for spring admission and by March 1 for fall admission.

Tuition reimbursement/Tuition assistance is an employee benefit through which an employer pays for a predetermined amount of continuing education credits or college coursework to be applied toward a degree. These programs are intended for employees looking to advance their careers and educational goals by increasing their industry knowledge and developing advanced skills.

PhD Programs

Faculty members.

Below you will find faculty members who are eager to receive part-time PhD applications. Click on the department heading for a list of available faculty members.

Biomedical Engineering

Chemical and biological engineering, civil and environmental engineering, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering.

Departments

• Applied Physics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Center for Urban Science and Progress
• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Civil and Urban Engineering
• Computer Science and Engineering
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Finance and Risk Engineering
• Mathematics
• Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Technology, Culture and Society
• Technology Management and Innovation

Degrees & Programs

• Bachelor of Science
• Master of Science
• Doctor of Philosophy
• Digital Learning
• Certificate Programs
• NYU Tandon Bridge
• Undergraduate
• Records & Registration
• Digital Learning Services
• Teaching Innovation
• Explore NYU Tandon
• Year in Review
• Strategic Plan
• Diversity & Inclusion

News & Events

• Social Media

Looking for News or Events ?

Part-time Study

Designed exclusively for busy professionals, part-time study options at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering offer an outstanding education.

Related Links

You’ll learn from respected leaders in your field, including many responsible for game-changing inventions and innovations. Our preparation produces graduate students who are sought-after by the most dynamic companies in the world, from fast-paced startups to industry giants.

Benefits of a Part-time Education

Earning an advanced degree from NYU Tandon places you in an elite group of industry leaders and increases your demand in rapidly growing job markets. We offer flexible scheduling and a wide range of online courses that allows you to take classes in other departments or schools at NYU.

What’s Considered Part-time?

Part-time students may enroll in a maximum of six credits, which is typically two courses per semester. For master’s programs, part-time students may take up to five years to complete the degree. If you decide you would like to change your enrollment status to full time at some point, you can do so by obtaining department approval and submitting official GRE scores.

Part-time Studies That Meet All Your Needs

Our master’s and doctorate programs are constantly evolving to incorporate the latest practices, which provides you with a competitive edge professionally. Several of our master’s programs are offered in an "executive format," in which all required courses are taken on evenings and weekends. In addition, you are permitted to complete up to three courses before formally matriculating in a degree or certificate program.

Discover the full range of part-time options, important deadlines, and how to start your application .

Note: Students studying on a non-immigrant visa may not be eligible for part-time study.

PhD Admissions

Earn your doctorate at duke.

Completing a PhD program in engineering is hard. Really hard. But after years of preparation, frustration and celebration, a Duke doctorate stands out from the crowd.

Between field-defining faculty and a web of industrial, entrepreneurial and public-policy connections, with a Duke Engineering PhD, you can just about go anywhere and do just about anything your heart desires.

And with Duke’s comprehensive financial and professional support, you won’t take that journey alone.

Duke: The Path to a High-Impact Career

Wherever your path leads you, a Duke PhD will ensure you’ll arrive prepared to make a difference.

Biomedical Engineering

Civil & Environmental Engineering

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

Guaranteed funding.

Duke provides significant financial support. And that’s just the beginning. There’s mentorship and career exploration support, too.

Generous Stipend

Guaranteed pay, 12 months a year, for the first five years

Paid Tuition

Covered by Duke during the first five years of study

For the first five years, Duke pays all mandatory fees

Insurance Coverage

For six years, Duke pays your health and dental premiums

Applying to Duke

Contact us at [email protected]

Join Our Mailing List

Receive updates, insights and invitations from our Admissions Team

Review Financial Support Package

5 years of stipend—plus six years of health and dental coverage

Find Your Deadline

See the application calendar for all Duke PhD programs

Start Your Application

Using Duke’s secure online platform

Diversity Makes Better Engineers

An optimist sees the glass as half full. A pessimist? Half empty. An engineer sees a glass that’s twice as big as it needs to be. Point is, engineers see things differently. Duke engineers see things very differently. Why use glass at all? Can we create a more efficient material? Ooh, should we include a water quality sensor? Here, we value different backgrounds and ways of thinking—because new approaches generate new solutions.

PhD students

Phd students per tenure-track faculty member, of our phd students received an nsf or other prestigious fellowship, in new research awards won in fy22, best graduate biomedical engineering program.

U.S. News & World Report

Lower cost of living in Durham vs. Boston

Facilities: welcome to wilkinson.

The newest of our buildings is 81,000 square feet of transformational design. Inside Wilkinson are research neighborhoods focused on advances in health, computing and the environment.

Dedicated workspaces for doctoral students feature natural light and campus views.

Durham and Beyond

Location. location. location..

At the north vertex of North Carolina’s famed Research Triangle, the city of Durham is essential to the Duke Engineering experience. Among our neighbors are hundreds of startups and standard bearers both private and public, a growing collection of James Beard Award-winning chefs, and a quickly growing community and skyline. River rafting, trail hiking, mountain climbing and sandy beaches are all just a couple hours’ drive away.

It doesn’t take an advanced degree to see why Durham is the #3 best place to live in America according to U.S. News and World Report, but come get one here anyway.

Interested in joining our community?

Start a conversation with Duke.

PhD (Doctoral) Admissions Overview

Our research-intensive program cultivates the next generation of leaders in academia and industry. Electrical Engineering doctoral students work alongside faculty, fellow students, and researchers who are leaders in their disciplines.  

Application Timeline & Deadlines

Click on the links below to read about each step of the application process:

Did You Know?

• A master's degree is not required prior to applying to the PhD program in Electrical Engineering. • Applications are reviewed on an annual basis for autumn quarter start only. • December 7, 2023 is the application deadline for Autumn 2024-2025. • Typical completion time for the PhD degree is 5-7 years. • All PhD students who maintain satisfactory academic progress receive full financial support for the duration of the doctoral program.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program is designed to build an interdisciplinary community of Stanford graduate students dedicated to finding creative solutions to the world's greatest challenges. The program awards up to 100 high-achieving students every year with full funding to pursue a graduate education at Stanford, including the M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. To be considered, you must apply to Knight-Hennessy Scholars and separately apply to the Electrical Engineering department.

Additional Resources

• Request Information
• Find Faculty & Staff
• Info For Toggle Info Return to Menu Menu
• Search Open Search Close Search
• Message from the Chair
• Department Directory
• Undergraduate Studies
• Graduate Studies
• Co-op & Experiential Learning
• Research Areas
• Research Centers and Institutes
• Faculty and Staff Directory
• Part-Time Faculty
• Annual Reports
• Honors & Distinctions
• Faculty Hiring
• Student Groups
• ECE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Industrial Advisory Board
• Resources for Current Students
• In the Media
• ECE Student Stories

PhD in Electrical Engineering

The PhD program in Electrical Engineering aims to teach students to develop efficient systems that contribute to business, safety, health, and entertainment.

• Program Details
• Program Details - Advanced Entry
• Admissions Information
• Tuition & Financial Aid

Innovative Curriculum

Northeastern’s PhD program in Electrical Engineering offers the opportunity to pursue cutting-edge research in the following areas: Signal and image processing; biomedical signal processing and brain-computer interface; pattern recognition; adaptive signal processing; wireless and underwater communications; information theory and coding; robust and distributed control; optics, photonics, acoustics, and magnetics sensors; radio frequency chip design; digital and mixed-signal integrated circuits; low-power very-large-scale integration; modeling and analysis of large scale power grids during normal operation and under faults; dc-dc converters, inverters, rectifiers, and ac-ac converters; as well as modulation techniques used in power electronics.

The PhD in Electrical Engineering is completely research-based with minimal and flexible course requirements which can be pursued as full-time or part-time. The exact nature of the program of study will vary among candidates depending on the dissertation subject area and the candidate’s preparation. The program will include one minor area of study in an area other than that in which the candidate is concentrating. The minor area may be in another discipline within electrical and computer engineering or the minor area may be in another relevant technical or scientific discipline. Applicants can enter the PhD program with either a BS or an MS degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field.

PhD in Electrical Engineering students also select their concentration from the following four areas.

• Communications, Control, and Signal Processing
• Electromagnetics, Plasma, and Optics
• Microsystems, Materials, and Devices
• Power Systems

The ECE department offers a variety of graduate courses giving students the flexibility in planning their course requirements according to their research requirements and personal interests. Many graduate courses are offered in two sections; in-class and streaming video. Part-time students and full-time students who have schedule conflicts can register in the streaming video sections.

• Northeastern ECE is the host or major partner in nine state-of-the-art research centers
• Financial support available
• Internationally-recognized Internships & Co-op opportunities
• Professional Development Workshop Series to complement the research and classroom experiences
• Northeastern ECE is a research powerhouse in the Boston area and beyond
• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems.
• An ability to explain and apply engineering design principles, as appropriate to the program’s educational objectives.
• An ability to produce solutions that meet specified end-user needs.
• An ability to apply analytical, numerical, and/or experimental methods to analyze and design complex engineering systems, and to identify, formulate, and solve new challenging electrical engineering problems.
• An ability to direct independent scientific research in electrical engineering and related fields.
• An ability to formulate new research plans and communicate the research outcomes (both oral and written communication of research results).
• Qualifying exam: Students who already hold an MS degree and matriculate in the fall semester must take the qualifying exam in the spring semester of their first year. Students matriculating in spring semester, or students who hold a BS degree and matriculate in the fall semester , can postpone the exam to the second spring semester. Those who fail the exam the first time, have one more chance to take the exam. These students must take the exam the next spring after their first attempt.
• Research Advisor: Students should have a research advisor one year after their matriculation.
• Thesis Committee: The Dissertation Committee must be formed not later than six months after passing the qualifying exam.
• Comprehensive exam: The deadline for comprehensive exam is two years after passing the qualifying exam.
• Dissertation Defense: The dissertation defense should be scheduled at least one year after taking the comprehensive exam.

Dissertation/Thesis Instructions

Our graduates pursue careers within academia and beyond.

• Middle East Technical University
• University of Vermont
• Nexant Corporation
• Harvard Medical School – Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
• Qatar University
• Universidad Tecnologica de Bolivar
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Metamagnetics Incorporated
• LoopPay Incorporated
• Merson Shanghai Co. Ltd.
• Qualcomm Technologies Incorporated
• Geophysical Survey Systems Incorporated
• Baylor College of Medicine
• Setem Technologies, LLC
• MIT Lincoln Laboratory
• University of California, Los Angeles
• Argonne National Laboratory
• University of California, Berkeley
• Boston Children’s Hosptial
• Japanese Ministry of Defense, Tokyo
• Siemens Healthineers
• Learn more.
• Scholarship Report
• Related Research Centers and Institutes

Experiential Learning

With a large number of high-tech firms in and around Boston, both start-ups and large multinational corporations, many PhD students do an internship during their program while remaining right here in Boston. Often their advisor is instrumental in identifying the internship position, with a funding sponsor or research collaborator, be they in Boston or elsewhere in the United States. Internships can be informally arranged for several months at any time during the calendar year.

PhD students can also take advantage of the more formally arranged co-op program which entails up to 8 months of work experience preceded by several professional development courses to prepare students. The Cooperative Education Program , also known as a “co-op,” is one of the largest and most innovative in the world, and Northeastern is one of only a few that offers a co-op program for graduate students. Through this program students gain professional experience, employed in their field of interest as part of the academic curriculum. Northeastern has over 3,000 co-op employer partners. Additionally, students can participate in the university’s Experiential PhD program.

Academic Advising

The Academic Advisors in the Graduate Student Services office can help answer many of your questions and assist with various concerns regarding your program and student record. Use the link below to also determine which questions can be answered by your Faculty Program Advisors and OGS Advisors.

• Graduate Student Services

Admissions & Aid

Ready to take the next step? Review degree requirements to see courses needed to complete this degree. Then, explore ways to fund your education. Finally, review admissions information to see our deadlines and gather the materials you need to Apply.

• Degree Requirements
• Degree Requirements - Advanced Entry

Student News

2024 Lux. Veritas. Virtus. Inductees

Twenty-three engineering graduate students were inducted into the newly established Lux. Veritas. Virtus. society, a prestigious honor that recognizes exceptional graduate students who exemplify the university’s mission, ideals, and values.

Bodet Receives 2024 Outstanding PhD Student Award in Research

Duschia Bodet, E’21, MS’21, PhD’25, electrical engineering, is the recipient of the 2024 Outstanding PhD Student Award in Research, which recognizes PhD students who have shown an impressive ability to conduct high-level research and make contributions to the scholarly literature in their field.

2024 U.S. National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Research Fellowship

Andrew Ashdown, PhD’27, electrical engineering, was selected as one of the recipients of the U.S. Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Research Fellowship. A highly competitive fellowship, it is awarded to promising U.S. scientists and engineers to encourage them to pursue doctoral degrees in designated research disciplines of military importance.

COE Research Expo Displays Promising Work of PhD Students

The College of Engineering held a research expo to highlight the work of PhD students. Participants presented their research to a panel of judges and gained critical presentation and communication skills. They also displayed their research during the poster showcase and students were recognized with awards.

Undergraduate

Entrepreneurship.

• Thayer Express
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions

Undergraduate Engineering at Dartmouth

Bachelor's degrees, undergraduate experience.

• Engineering Design
• Financial Aid & Funding
• Life After Dartmouth
• Project Spaces & Labs
• Research & Entrepreneurship
• Student Life & Housing
• Study Abroad

Quick Links

• Academic Calendar
• Career Services
• Course Descriptions
• Course Schedules
• Majors & Modified Majors
• Programs & Courses Guide

Program Areas

Graduate engineering at dartmouth, master's degrees, doctoral degrees, graduate experience.

• Collaborative Programs
• Degree Outcomes
• Help & Support
• Online Education
• Scholarships, Fellowships, & Grants
• Admissions Events
• Student Handbook

Engineering Research at Dartmouth

Research by program area.

• Active Projects
• Laboratories
• Research News
• Undergraduate Research

Engineering Entrepreneurship at Dartmouth

Startups listed by, patents listed by, links & resources.

• Dartmouth NSF I-Corps Program
• Dartmouth Tech Transfer
• Entrepreneurship News
• Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship
• Office of Entrepreneurship & Technology Transfer

PhD Innovation Program

• Tuck School of Business

Dartmouth Engineering Community

Community info, about dartmouth engineering.

Home  |  Graduate Admissions  |  PhD Admissions

PhD Programs Admissions

Ready to apply to Dartmouth's engineering  PhD , the  PhD-Innovation (PhD-I) Program , the PhD in Medical Physics , or the PhD+MD ? To help students prepare a strong application, this page provides important information about the admissions process, including deadlines, eligibility requirements, and application and financial aid instructions.

PhD students typically enter with full support from either a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) or an external fellowship. Explore general PhD funding and expenses to consider for all PhD programs and learn about additional fellowship and grant opportunities .

Start Your Application

On This Page

Phd application process, phd innovation (phd-i) program application process, phd in medical physics application process, md-phd application process, application deadlines.

December 15

priority deadline for Fall term admission; applications are accepted on a rolling basis after December 15

At least two terms prior to admission

deadline for Winter, Spring, or Summer term admission

Required Application Materials

The following instructions are a guide for completing the application for the PhD program at Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth (Dartmouth Engineering).

PhD+PhD-I : New students interested in the PhD Innovation (PhD-I) Program can apply to both the PhD and PhD-I within the same application. Follow the PhD process outlined below , and submit the additional required materials for the PhD-I.

Please read the following instructions carefully. Only complete applications will be considered for admission.

Online Application

Applicants must complete the application for admission online. It is not necessary to send us a hard copy. Online applications open August 1 of each year.

Updating Your Materials

Your test scores and mailing address can be updated at any time through your application status page. After submission, other components (resume, statement of purpose, essays, etc.) cannot be updated. Please be sure you have entered the most accurate information at the time of submission. Due to the volume of applications received, we cannot update these materials after submission.

Acknowledgement

After submission, you will receive an email acknowledgement through the application system.

Application Status

To see the status of your application, visit your online application status page. Please note that it may take a few days for application materials to be processed.

Application materials and supporting documents become the property of the Admissions Committee and are not returnable.

General Policies

False Statements/Materials: If a candidate for admission to Dartmouth makes a false statement or submits falsified material in connection with his or her application, and the misrepresentation is discovered after the candidate has been admitted, the offer of admission ordinarily will be withdrawn. If the misrepresentation is discovered after a student arrives on campus or at any time during their enrollment, the student will be subject to loss of credits earned and disciplinary action that could include separation from the College. If the discovery occurs after a degree has been awarded, the degree normally will be rescinded.

Equal Opportunity: Dartmouth Engineering actively supports equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race or ethnic background. No student will be denied admission or be otherwise discriminated against because of sex, handicap, religion, sexual orientation, race, color, or national origin.

Security and Fire Safety Report: Dartmouth prepares an annual Security and Fire Safety Report which is available to all current and prospective employees and students. The report includes statistics of reported crimes that have occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings, or on property owned or controlled by Dartmouth, and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus as well as reported fires occurring in residential facilities. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning sexual assault, fire safety, and other matters. You may obtain a copy of this report by contacting the Director of Safety and Security and the College Proctor at +1 (603) 646-4000.

Application Fee

A non-refundable application fee of $50 is required of all applicants, except for Dartmouth College or Dartmouth Engineering students and alumni. The fee must be paid by credit card. Applications will not be processed until this fee is received.

Letters of Recommendation

Three (3) letters of recommendation must be completed and submitted online directly by your recommenders . Please have your recommenders complete the evaluation form that will be emailed to them and submit a signed letter on their official institutional letterhead. If your recommender’s company or institution has a policy against letterhead they must provide a copy of this policy with the recommendation letter.

Letters of recommendation should ideally come from your college professors using their official school email address. Applicants with work or military experience or currently in another graduate program should submit a recommendation from their immediate supervisor, a current or former employer, or someone who knows them well through some other professional or community activity.

Academic Transcripts

All applicants are required to submit academic transcripts from each undergraduate or graduate institution from which you obtained your degrees (eg. your bachelor’s degrees or other advanced degrees.)

You may scan and upload a copy of your academic transcript (not diploma) issued by the institution(s) from which you obtained your undergraduate degree(s) and any advanced/graduate degree(s) directly to the online application.

For grading scales other than 4.0 grading scales: Please include documentation indicating the scale.

Applicants with international transcripts are encouraged to submit a transcript evaluation from WES (World Education Services) along with their Dartmouth Engineering application. While a WES evaluation is not mandatory for admission, it can help expedite the application review process. If you are admitted, you will need to submit official academic transcripts for all your international coursework and credentials. WES evaluations can be used instead of official transcripts, but they must be sent directly to Dartmouth Engineering by the evaluation service provider, and they must include a copy of the official transcripts that were evaluated.

Non-degree coursework: If you attended institutions other than those from which your degree(s) were granted, you are required to scan and upload your academic transcripts from these institutions (transfer coursework, domestic or study-abroad programs, postgraduate non-degree coursework, etc.).

If you have more than three undergraduate transcripts or three graduate transcripts to upload, please combine them by uploading a file that contains more than one transcript.

• Scan BOTH sides of your transcript (provided the second side is not blank).
• Depending on the scanner and software, you may either insert individual images (.jpg) into a single word processing document for upload, OR if your software produces a .pdf, simply upload that file.
• The file must be less than 1 MB, in a standard format, WITHOUT password protection or macros. Any of these problems will cause the upload process to fail.
• A diploma is not a transcript.

If you upload a scanned copy of your transcript, you do not need to send a hard copy. The scanned copy fulfills the requirement for the application process. Upon admission, you will be required to supply an official hard copy of your transcript.

Admitted students: If admitted, you will be required to request that ONE official, original hardcopy transcript mailed to Dartmouth Engineering (mailing address below) directly from each college and/or university you have attended in a signed, sealed envelope. We will accept a transcript via email if that is your prior institution’s method of transcript delivery.

International applicants must make arrangements to have their academic records translated and sent along with originals. Where American-style transcripts are not used, the applicant must include all available records including courses, grades, degrees, and rank-in-class. The appropriate university officials must certify these records. Evaluations from WES (World Education Services) can be used instead of official transcripts, but they must be sent directly to Thayer by the evaluation service provider, and they must include a copy of the official transcripts that were evaluated.

Upon admission, supporting materials such as transcripts should be mailed to:

Graduate Admissions Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth 15 Thayer Drive Hanover, NH 03755

Supplemental Form: Research Area, Identifying Faculty, Statement of Purpose/Essay & CV/Resume

Research Area: Engineering PhD students typically are funded through a professor’s sponsored research or a fellowship. Students interested in applying to the PhD program are encouraged to reach out to individual faculty members to discuss potential projects.

Through the PhD program, students may elect one of the six program areas to be reflected as a "concentration." In the application, you will be prompted to select which track you are interested in pursuing. Applicants should indicate all areas of interest in order to be considered for the widest possible range of opportunities. Students can switch program areas after starting the program.

Identifying Dartmouth Engineering faculty members of interest : The supplemental form of the application will be used to match your area(s) to those of faculty or to determine your focus. You must select at least one and may choose up to three faculty from the drop-down list in the application.

Fill this out carefully and list your top faculty interest first. We strongly encourage you to review research by program areas and contact Dartmouth Engineering faculty for an initial conversation about research opportunities.

Statement of Purpose/Essay: You will be prompted to write a brief essay describing your research interests and career goals and the reasons you wish to pursue graduate studies at Dartmouth. Include any information that does not appear elsewhere that will help us evaluate your application. If possible, keep your essay to 1–2 pages.

CV/Resume: Upload your most recent CV or resume.

Optional Essay: Dartmouth Engineering is committed to a climate that acknowledges and embraces diversity of perspectives and backgrounds, supporting a culture that fosters inclusion and actively pursues equity. In this optional essay, applicants are encouraged to share how their personal perspectives and unique life experiences will contribute to Dartmouth and the Dartmouth Engineering community.

TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo (International Applicants)

Non-US citizens must submit language proficiency test scores, with the exception of those who are earning or have earned a degree from institutions in the US or Canada, or who are from the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Slovenia, and Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the US.

For all graduate programs, Dartmouth Engineering accepts the following English proficiency tests: TOEFL , IELTS , and Duolingo . During the application process, self-reported scores are acceptable. However, once admitted, students will be required to submit official test results directly from the testing organization.

IELTS scores should be sent to "Dartmouth College" with the ETS code 3360.

GREs (optional)

GREs are optional for all Dartmouth Engineering graduate programs. If you would like to include GRE scores to give the admissions committee a better understanding of your qualifications, we accept self-reported scores at the time of application. If you enter self-reported scores, you will be required to provide official scores if admitted. Visit the ETS website and use code 3360.

Eligibility Requirements

The foundation for doctoral engineering degree work is undergraduate preparation in science, mathematics, and engineering principles. Applicants must hold a bachelor's or master's degree to be considered for the program, although a master’s degree is not required. Students admitted to the program who are not prepared to complete the first-year requirements are advised to enter the MS program and petition to be admitted to the PhD program. Students who have prior graduate training may be considered for advancement to candidacy after completing one or two terms of the first-year doctoral program.

International Students

Language proficiency test scores are required for non-US citizens, with the exception of those who are earning or have earned a degree from institutions in the US or Canada, or who are from the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Slovenia, and Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the US.

While all applications are looked at holistically, we recommend the following score ranges:

• TOEFL scores of 100 or higher
• IELTS scores of 6.5 or higher
• Duolingo scores of 135 or higher

Dartmouth Engineering initiates the visa process. For information about the visa and immigration process, visit Dartmouth's Office of Visa and Immigration Services .

Part-Time Students

The PhD program can also be undertaken part-time: students interested in this option should contact the Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs .

Graduate Admissions Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth 15 Thayer Drive, Hanover, NH 03755 [email protected]

PhD Program

Learn about requirements, funding, expenses, and more.

See student testimonials, course and funding comparisons, and more

Student Life

Explore our community on campus and beyond.

Admission to this program is determined by a committee consisting of the Dean of Dartmouth Engineering or the Director of the Program (Professor Eric Fossum ), and members of the faculty, drawn from those serving on the Program Advisory Board.

Review PhD-I Program funding comparisons

Application Timeline

application deadline

Late January/ Early February

presentations via Zoom

Mid-February

decisions and notifications

candidate acceptance deadline

The PhD Innovation (PhD-I) Program welcomes applicants who are in the process of applying to Dartmouth Engineering's PhD program, as well as applicants who are already enrolled in Dartmouth Engineering's PhD program. The application process differs slightly for each group, and is outlined below. Please read the following instructions carefully. Only complete applications will be considered for admission.

Students applying to Dartmouth Engineering's PhD program

Students not already enrolled in a Dartmouth Engineering PhD program must submit all required materials for the PhD program listed above in addition to the following:

When completing the online application, check the box indicating "Innovation Program" interest on the program information page of the application.

On the PhD Supplemental Form of the online application, you will be prompted to submit the following two essays for the PhD-I Program, in addition to the materials required for the main PhD program.

Statement on PhD-I Program Interest (two-pages max): Submit a statement specific to the PhD-I Program that addresses the following:

• Reasons for interest in the PhD-I Program
• Why the program is relevant to your long-term career goals
• An example demonstrating creativity in arriving at a solution

Statement on Broad Technology Development Problem (two-pages max): Describe an example of a broad technology development problem that interests you. It should be written in the general form of a proposal for funding. Specify one or two potential Dartmouth Engineering faculty advisors for your proposed work (prior contact with those faculty members by email is recommended).

Current students already enrolled in a Dartmouth Engineering PhD program

Current students already enrolled in a Dartmouth Engineering PhD program must assemble the following materials and submit them via email at [email protected] to apply.

• Letter of recommendation from your thesis advisor. This should be submitted directly from your advisor to [email protected] .
• Current CV/resume.
• reasons for interest in the PhD-I Program
• why the program is relevant to your long-term career goals
• an example demonstrating creativity in arriving at a solution
• Statement (two-pages max) describing an example of a broad technology development problem that interests you. This should be written in the general form of a proposal for funding.
• Combine your CV/resume and two statements into a single .pdf file.
• Label the file following this format: LastNameFirstName_Innovation.pdf
• Email the .pdf as an attachment to: [email protected]

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all prerequisites and requirements for the standard PhD degree program . New PhD applicants, as well as current Dartmouth Engineering PhD and MD-PhD students are eligible to apply to the PhD Innovation (PhD-I) Program. Current students are advised to consult with their faculty advisor and Professor Eric Fossum , Director of the PhD-I Program, prior to applying.

General Program Questions

Jessica Moody PhD Innovation Program Coordinator [email protected]

Admissions Questions

[email protected]

The PhD and Certificate Program in Medical Physics welcomes applicants who are currently in the process of applying to Dartmouth Engineering's PhD program, as well as applicants who are currently enrolled in Dartmouth Engineering's PhD program, or any of the physical science PhD programs at Dartmouth. The application process differs slightly for each group. Please read the application instructions carefully. Only complete applications will be considered for admission.

Learn how to apply

Start your PhD in Medical Physics Application

David J. Gladstone Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Professor of Engineering, and PhD and Certificate Program in Medical Physics Program Director [email protected]

Students must apply to the Dartmouth Engineering PhD program through the process outlined above , indicating their specific interests on their online application, as well as to Geisel School of Medicine .

Learn about the MD-PhD program

Start Your MD-PhD Application

Smart. Open. Grounded. Inventive. Read our Ideas Made to Matter.

Which program is right for you?

Through intellectual rigor and experiential learning, this full-time, two-year MBA program develops leaders who make a difference in the world.

A rigorous, hands-on program that prepares adaptive problem solvers for premier finance careers.

A 12-month program focused on applying the tools of modern data science, optimization and machine learning to solve real-world business problems.

Earn your MBA and SM in engineering with this transformative two-year program.

Combine an international MBA with a deep dive into management science. A special opportunity for partner and affiliate schools only.

A doctoral program that produces outstanding scholars who are leading in their fields of research.

Bring a business perspective to your technical and quantitative expertise with a bachelor’s degree in management, business analytics, or finance.

A joint program for mid-career professionals that integrates engineering and systems thinking. Earn your master’s degree in engineering and management.

An interdisciplinary program that combines engineering, management, and design, leading to a master’s degree in engineering and management.

Executive Programs

A full-time MBA program for mid-career leaders eager to dedicate one year of discovery for a lifetime of impact.

This 20-month MBA program equips experienced executives to enhance their impact on their organizations and the world.

Non-degree programs for senior executives and high-potential managers.

A non-degree, customizable program for mid-career professionals.

PhD Program

Program overview.

Now Reading 1 of 4

Rigorous, discipline-based research is the hallmark of the MIT Sloan PhD Program. The program is committed to educating scholars who will lead in their fields of research—those with outstanding intellectual skills who will carry forward productive research on the complex organizational, financial, and technological issues that characterize an increasingly competitive and challenging business world.

Start here.

Learn more about the program, how to apply, and find answers to common questions.

Admissions Events

Check out our event schedule, and learn when you can chat with us in person or online.

Start Your Application

Visit this section to find important admissions deadlines, along with a link to our application.

Click here for answers to many of the most frequently asked questions.

PhD studies at MIT Sloan are intense and individual in nature, demanding a great deal of time, initiative, and discipline from every candidate. But the rewards of such rigor are tremendous:  MIT Sloan PhD graduates go on to teach and conduct research at the world's most prestigious universities.

PhD Program curriculum at MIT Sloan is organized under the following three academic areas: Behavior & Policy Sciences; Economics, Finance & Accounting; and Management Science. Our nine research groups correspond with one of the academic areas, as noted below.

MIT Sloan PhD Research Groups

Behavioral & policy sciences.

Economic Sociology

Institute for Work & Employment Research

Organization Studies

Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Strategic Management

Economics, Finance & Accounting

Accounting  

Management Science

Information Technology

System Dynamics  

Those interested in a PhD in Operations Research should visit the Operations Research Center .  

PhD Program Structure

Additional information including coursework and thesis requirements.

MIT Sloan Predoctoral Opportunities

MIT Sloan is eager to provide a diverse group of talented students with early-career exposure to research techniques as well as support in considering research career paths.

Rising Scholars Conference

The fourth annual Rising Scholars Conference on October 25 and 26 gathers diverse PhD students from across the country to present their research.

Now Reading 2 of 4

The goal of the MIT Sloan PhD Program's admissions process is to select a small number of people who are most likely to successfully complete our rigorous and demanding program and then thrive in academic research careers. The admission selection process is highly competitive; we aim for a class size of nineteen students, admitted from a pool of hundreds of applicants.

What We Seek

• Outstanding intellectual ability
• Excellent academic records
• Previous work in disciplines related to the intended area of concentration
• Strong commitment to a career in research

MIT Sloan PhD Program Admissions Requirements Common Questions

Dates and Deadlines

Admissions for 2024 is closed. The next opportunity to apply will be for 2025 admission. The 2025 application will open in September 2024. 

More information on program requirements and application components

Students in good academic standing in our program receive a funding package that includes tuition, medical insurance, and a fellowship stipend and/or TA/RA salary. We also provide a new laptop computer and a conference travel/research budget.

Funding Information

Throughout the year, we organize events that give you a chance to learn more about the program and determine if a PhD in Management is right for you.

PhD Program Events

May phd program overview.

During this webinar, you will hear from the PhD Program team and have the chance to ask questions about the application and admissions process.

June PhD Program Overview

July phd program overview, august phd program overview.

Complete PhD Admissions Event Calendar

Unlike formulaic approaches to training scholars, the PhD Program at MIT Sloan allows students to choose their own adventure and develop a unique scholarly identity. This can be daunting, but students are given a wide range of support along the way - most notably having access to world class faculty and coursework both at MIT and in the broader academic community around Boston.

Now Reading 3 of 4

Profiles of our current students

MIT Sloan produces top-notch PhDs in management. Immersed in MIT Sloan's distinctive culture, upcoming graduates are poised to innovate in management research and education.

Academic Job Market

Doctoral candidates on the current academic market

Academic Placements

Graduates of the MIT Sloan PhD Program are researching and teaching at top schools around the world.

view recent placements 

MIT Sloan Experience

Now Reading 4 of 4

The PhD Program is integral to the research of MIT Sloan's world-class faculty. With a reputation as risk-takers who are unafraid to embrace the unconventional, they are engaged in exciting disciplinary and interdisciplinary research that often includes PhD students as key team members.

Research centers across MIT Sloan and MIT provide a rich setting for collaboration and exploration. In addition to exposure to the faculty, PhD students also learn from one another in a creative, supportive research community.

Throughout MIT Sloan's history, our professors have devised theories and fields of study that have had a profound impact on management theory and practice.

From Douglas McGregor's Theory X/Theory Y distinction to Nobel-recognized breakthroughs in finance by Franco Modigliani and in option pricing by Robert Merton and Myron Scholes, MIT Sloan's faculty have been unmatched innovators.

This legacy of innovative thinking and dedication to research impacts every faculty member and filters down to the students who work beside them.

Faculty Links

• Accounting Faculty
• Economic Sociology Faculty
• Finance Faculty
• Information Technology Faculty
• Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER) Faculty
• Marketing Faculty
• Organization Studies Faculty
• System Dynamics Faculty
• Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management (TIES) Faculty

Student Research

“MIT Sloan PhD training is a transformative experience. The heart of the process is the student’s transition from being a consumer of knowledge to being a producer of knowledge. This involves learning to ask precise, tractable questions and addressing them with creativity and rigor. Hard work is required, but the reward is the incomparable exhilaration one feels from having solved a puzzle that had bedeviled the sharpest minds in the world!” -Ezra Zuckerman Sivan Alvin J. Siteman (1948) Professor of Entrepreneurship

Sample Dissertation Abstracts - These sample Dissertation Abstracts provide examples of the work that our students have chosen to study while in the MIT Sloan PhD Program.

We believe that our doctoral program is the heart of MIT Sloan's research community and that it develops some of the best management researchers in the world. At our annual Doctoral Research Forum, we celebrate the great research that our doctoral students do, and the research community that supports that development process.

The videos of their presentations below showcase the work of our students and will give you insight into the topics they choose to research in the program.

How Should We Measure the Digital Economy?

2020 PhD Doctoral Research Forum Winner - Avinash Collis

Watch more MIT Sloan PhD Program  Doctoral Forum Videos

• [email protected]

Keep Exploring

Ask a question or register your interest

Faculty Directory

Meet our faculty.

PhD Program

Main navigation.

The PhD degree in MS&E is intended for students primarily interested in a career of research and teaching, or high-level technical work in universities, industry, or government.

The PhD is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research. Through course work and guided research, the program prepares students to make original contributions in Management Science and Engineering and related fields.

Doctoral Programs

Program overview Curriculum Admission

Program overview

Student Stories

“I became interested in the intersection between behavioral economics and energy policy, inspiring many of the projects I have undertaken during my time at Stanford.”

 - Melanie Craxton, graduating PhD candidate  

Career Placement

PhD graduates from MS&E have taken positions with a wide range of organizations that include high-tech businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and academic institutions.

Click below to see where graduates have found employment.

Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering ranks highly in the U.S. News & World Report Graduate Rankings for 2024

The college was ranked 31st in the nation, and rose in its aerospace, biological, systems, and computer engineering programs, while holding steady in civil and environmental engineering.

• Chelsea Seeber  and 
• Florence Gonsalves
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Copy address link to clipboard

Several of the graduate programs in Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering have earned coveted spots in the top 20 of the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings . Notably, the computer engineering program rose eight spots, from No. 23 to No. 15. The university’s goal to seek solutions to the world’s most complex problems through research and innovation is demonstrated throughout the college’s 13 departments and schools thanks to the top-notch faculty and graduate student research at its Blacksburg campus and its growing presence in the D.C. area.  

The 2024 programs ranked in the top 10 include:  

Environmental Engineering No. 5  

Graduate Systems Engineering program No. 5 (up from No. 6)

Civil Engineering No. 9  

Biological/Agricultural program No. 10 (up from No. 12)

Other programs that fared well include graduate aerospace/astronautical/aeronautical up from No. 14 to No. 11. Mechanical, electrical, and nuclear engineering programs also all cracked the top 20.

“The College of Engineering has been a key player in many of these top-ranked program areas for several years. Thanks to the expertise of our faculty and researchers, we are continuing to find innovative solutions through deep, diverse partnerships here at Virginia Tech, in industry, and around the world,” said Pam VandeVord , Associate Dean for Research and Innovation.

In 2023, 57 faculty from the College of Engineering won 75 awards, with 14 of those awards being categorized as “prestigious” or “highly prestigious” by the National Research Council. In addition, the college makes up more than 40 percent of the university’s total research expenditures and is continuing to diversify revenue streams with more National Institute of Health proposals, transdisciplinary projects, and center-level initiatives. 

“It is our mission to advance the boundaries of engineering knowledge and practice through transdisciplinary research,” said Julie Ross , the Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean of Engineering. “The caliber of our world class education is truly reflected in our students, faculty, and alumni, who are sought globally for their excellence. We invest in the resources that prepare our graduates to solve today’s most complex social and technological challenges in and beyond their communities.”

The Innovation Campus , opening in 2025, will expand upon opportunities to prepare computer engineers and computer scientists to lead the frontier of wireless technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and more, while being immersed in one of the most connected tech communities in the country. Its two Master of Engineering programs in  computer science  and  computer engineering  are both industry-connected degrees that will provide students with a deep technical base while expanding their professional skills and preparing them to assume leadership roles. Students will gain expertise in areas such as machine learning, secure information systems and networks, and quantum computing.

The success of the college’s graduate programs depends on numerous forms of support for students, postdoctoral researchers, and new and seasoned faculty. Through scholarships that decrease barriers not only for students, but junior faculty, the college is able to develop, attract, and retain top talent. In 2023 alone, the college received eight National Science Foundation CAREER awards, the most prestigious given by the foundation to junior faculty who exemplify leadership as teacher-scholars in research and education. It also had four Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers, which validates excellence in research, reputation, and collaboration, and acts as a beacon for academic institutions and commercial organizations. These are among a plethora of accolades that make the college’s graduate engineering programs a destination for top talent in 2024.

VandeVord added, “Moving forward, we will continue to push the envelope in spaces such as civil and environmental engineering, computer engineering, systems engineering, aerospace engineering and agricultural engineering, where we have demonstrated longstanding success. In addition, we are making headway in new areas like health care research, wireless, artificial intelligence, and additive manufacturing, among others, to distinguish ourselves in these growing fields that live within our biomedical, mechanical and electrical engineering programs.”

Chelsea Seeber

540-231-2108

• Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
• Biological Systems Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• College of Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Graduate Education
• Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Innovation Campus
• Mechanical Engineering
• News directly from around campus

Related Content

Skip to Content

PhD students earn top National Science Foundation fellowships

The national awards recognize and support outstanding grad students from across the country in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees.

PhD students Caleb Song and Jennifer Wu are each receiving the honor for 2024. Find out more about their research below.

Awardees receive a $37,000 annual stipend and cost of education allowance for the next three years as well as professional development opportunities.

Two mechanical engineering PhD students, Alex Hedrick and Carly Rowe, also received honorable mentions from the National Science Foundation program.

2024 GRFP Honorees

2nd Year PhD Student

Advisor: John Pellegrino Lab:  Membrane Science & Technology

I did my undergrad in Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech before coming to Boulder for my PhD in Mechanical Engineering. For the past two years, I've been working on the characterization, tuning, and scale-up of graphene-based membrane electrodes (grMEs). The funding from the GRFP will allow me to pursue low technology readiness level (TRL) electrochemical device development using these grMEs. In particular, I plan on exploring hybrid electrophoretic/size exclusion-based separations for biopharmaceutical development and processing.

Jennifer Wu

Fall 2024 Incoming PhD Student

Advisor: Daven Henze Lab: Henze Group

My research will involve using computer simulations and environmental observations to investigate the impact of atmospheric constituents on air quality and climate change. By coupling satellite observations with state-of-the-art air pollution models, I aim to provide more accurate estimates of emissions to better inform climate and public health policy. Previously at Caltech, I worked closely with scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in analyzing methane and carbon monoxide measurements in the Los Angeles Basin.

• Graduate Students
• Graduate Student Research
• Thermo Fluid Sciences
• Air Quality
• Share via Facebook
• Share via Twitter
• Share via LinkedIn

Apply   Visit   Give

Departments

• Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences
• Chemical & Biological Engineering
• Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering
• Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering
• Applied Mathematics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Creative Technology & Design
• Engineering Education
• Engineering Management
• Engineering Physics
• Integrated Design Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Materials Science & Engineering

Affiliates & Partners

• ATLAS Institute
• BOLD Center
• Colorado Mesa University
• Colorado Space Grant Consortium
• Discovery Learning
• Engineering Honors
• Engineering Leadership
• Entrepreneurship
• Herbst Program for Engineering, Ethics & Society
• Integrated Teaching and Learning
• Global Engineering
• National Center for Women & Information Technology
• Mortenson Center for Global Engineering
• Western Colorado University

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Preparatory course (pre-university programme).

• Duration of study: March 2024 – July 2025.
• Holidays: July – August 2024.
• Start date: 1 March – 30 March 2024.
• Exams: June 2025.
• Tuition: $8900.
• The level of Russian: Beginner.
• Duration of study: September/October 2024 – July 2025.
• Start date: September – October.
• Tuition: $7000.
• The level of Russian: All levels.

• 1 BUSINESS SCHOOL
• 2 FACULTY OF BIOENGINEERING AND BIOINFORMATICS
• 3 FACULTY OF BIOLOGY
• 4 FACULTY OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
• 5 FACULTY OF CHEMISTRY
• 6 FACULTY OF COMPUTATIONAL MATHEMATICS AND CYBERNETICS
• 7 FACULTY OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES
• 8 FACULTY OF ECONOMICS
• 9 FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
• 10 FACULTY OF FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS
• 11 FACULTY OF FUNDAMENTAL MEDICINE
• 12 FACULTY OF FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL ENGENEERING
• 13 FACULTY OF GEOLOGY
• 14 FACULTY OF GEOGRAPHY
• 15 FACULTY OF HISTORY
• 16 FACULTY OF JOURNALISM
• 17 FACULTY OF LAW
• 18 FACULTY OF MATERIALS SCIENCE
• 19 FACULTY OF MECHANICS AND MATHEMATICS
• 20 FACULTY OF PHYSICS
• 21 FACULTY OF PHILOLOGY
• 22 FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY
• 23 FACULTY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
• 24 FACULTY OF SOCIOLOGY
• 25 FACULTY OF WORLD POLITICS
• 26 GRADUATE SCHOOL OF INNOVATIVE BUSINESS
• 27 GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND INNOVATION
• 28 GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINIASTRATION
• 29 HIGHER SCHOOL OF MODERN SOCIAL SCIENCES
• 30 HIGHER SCHOOL OF POLICY IN CULTURE AND ADMINISTRATION IN HUMANITIES
• 31 HIGHER SCHOOL OF STATE AUDIT
• 32 HIGHER SCHOOL OF TRANSLATION/INTERPRETING
• 33 HIGHER SCHOOL OF TELEVISION STUDIES
• 34 INSTITUTE OF ASIAN AND AFRICAN STUDIES
• 35 MOSCOW SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS
• 36 SOIL SCIENCE FACULTY
• Admission procedure

• University of Wisconsin-Madison

CBE PhD student Seth Anderson selected for DOE Graduate Student Research program

Departments:, categories:.

Renewable energy technologies, like solar and wind power, are an important element in the clean energy transition. But they do have one major drawback; they don’t produce energy unless the breeze is blowing or the sun is shining. To get around this, it’s possible to use their electricity to power electrochemical reactions that generate clean burning hydrogen. That hydrogen could then be used to generate electricity, power cars and trucks, and be used in industrial processes 24/7.

The problem is, making hydrogen electrochemically is challenging. That’s why Seth Anderson, a PhD student in chemical and biological engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is planning to use a Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research award to advance the technology. The program enables highly qualified graduate students to pursue their thesis research for up to one year while working at one of the United State’s national laboratories. Anderson will pursue his research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California.

Anderson currently studies electrochemistry in the lab of CBE Assistant Professor Matt Gebbie . In particular, Anderson studies the water reduction reaction, or hydrogen evolution reaction, that occurs when water reacts with an electrode and produces hydrogen gas. Specifically, he studies how various electrolytes, or the fluids in batteries or electrochemical systems that carry an electrical charge, impact the performance of the water reduction reaction.

“I am very interested in how unique electrolyte compositions can influence the way water structures itself at the catalyst surface,” he says. “Essentially, I am trying to link water reduction performance with aspects of electrolyte composition and water hydrogen-bond structures near the catalyst.”

At Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Anderson will work with Dr. Maximillian Jaugstetter to further study these unique electrolytes and how the water structures they create can impact reaction rates. At LBNL, Anderson will have access to a synchrotron, a type of particle accelerator, that will allow him to get high resolution spectra that show how the electrolyte is structured on a molecular level.

“I am stoked out the wazoo at getting this award. I am a very fortunate person to even be in the position to apply and I am just so excited other people are interested in the research we do in the Gebbie lab,” says Anderson. “I think I have always been motivated by trying to do my part to produce green energy and this is just an extension of that. I want to answer basic questions that other people can use to scale up renewable energy processes and this kind of award just makes me feel like I am doing my part.”

This year, the Department of Energy selected 86 graduate students from 31 states and Puerto Rico for the program . Collin Sutton, a PhD student in the Department of Geoscience at UW-Madison, was also selected for the program and will pursue his research at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Cookie Acknowledgement

This website uses cookies to collect information to improve your browsing experience. Please review our Privacy Statement for more information.

• College of Engineering
• News Center

Auburn Engineering students recognized as graduate research fellows by National Science Foundation

Published: Apr 24, 2024 3:30 PM

By Joe McAdory

Six Auburn Engineering students were named National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellows for 2024.

According to the NSF, the Graduate Research Fellowship Program is “designed to help ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the nation’s scientific and engineering workforce. A goal of the program is to broaden participation of the full spectrum of diverse talents in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).” The five-year fellowship, awarded to students who are either enrolled — or intend to enroll — in research-based graduate programs or intend to enroll provides three years of financial support inclusive of an annual stipend of $37,000.

Auburn Engineering students recognized were:

Dylan Bowen:  a second-year doctoral student and graduate research assistant in chemical engineering , Bowen has been researching cancer cell behavior under the mentorship of Assistant Professor Panagiotis Mistriotis. With the fellowship, Bowen plans to study how physical signals within the body, such as pressure and fluid flow, affect cell migration behavior. Bowen earned a bachelor’s degree in bioprocess engineering from Auburn in 2022, where he researched drug discovery and development and was SGA Engineering Student of the Year.

Marisa Kelley: a senior in materials engineering , the NASA Pathways intern is active in the Polymer Mechanics Research Laboratory under the direction of Russell Mailen, assistant professor in aerospace engineering , where she adapts the electrospinning manufacturing process to create synthetic threads of conductive polymers for applications in wearable devices.

Maggie Nelson: a senior in aerospace engineering, Nelson’s research focuses on the production and degradation of recycled shape memory polymers with aerospace applications, which include 3D printing filament and flat plates of material that maintain self-folding capabilities. Nelson, an Honors College student who recently earned the Churchill Scholarship to continue research in the United Kingdom, also received a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship in 2023 . She is advised by Mailen, Bryan Beckingham, associate professor in chemical engineering and director of the Center for Polymers and Advanced Composites , and Soledad Peresin, associate professor in biomaterials chemistry and nanotechnology.

Ryan Pollard: a graduate student in mechanical engineering under the mentorship of Associate Professor Michael Zabala, Pollard is also a research assistant within the Auburn University Biomechanical Engineering Laboratory , where he focuses on discerning motion intention from electroencephalogram and electromyography data for lower limb exoskeleton control.

Katie Wolfe: an undergraduate research assistant and senior double majoring in electrical engineering and theatrical design , Wolfe has been working closely with Electronic Theatre Controls to study the applications of ultra-violet light in industrial and entertainment settings. She is advised by Daniel Geiger, lecturer in electrical and computer engineering , Meredith Reid, assistant professor in electrical and computer engineering, and Mark Schall, associate professor in industrial and systems engineering.

Robin Weaver (honorable mention): a senior in aerospace engineering, Weaver’s work expanded upon previous research on multi-stable structures by examining the viscoelastic bias imparted within structures due to print states and again. Treasurer for the 2023 Class of Auburn University’s Society of Women Engineers and Cupola Engineering ambassador, Weaver is advised by Russell Mailen in the Polymer Mechanics Research Laboratory.

“We’re extremely proud of our students for their dedication to research, science and technology,” said Maria Auad, associate dean for graduate studies and faculty development. “Research solidifies a student’s academic foundation and gives them the opportunity to take their education to incredible heights where they can positively impact society. I know they will continue to represent Auburn University on an exemplary level.”

From left, Katie Wolfe, Marisa Kelley, Dylan Bowen, Ryan Pollard, Robin Weaver and Maggie Nelson.

Featured Faculty

Chemical Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Recent Headlines

Admissions Visit Opportunities

The Charger Blog

Civil Engineering Grad Student Says Time as a Charger Has Been 'Transformative'

Whether he was attending career expos, conferences, or gaining real-world experience as an intern, Muritala Issa '24 M.S. has been building his skills and his network throughout his time as a Charger, fueling his passion to make a meaningful impact on the world through his career.

April 29, 2024

By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications

As a child, Muritala Issa '24 M.S. wandered through the streets in his home country of Nigeria, eyes wide with wonder. He was captivated by what he describes as the "magic of transforming a village into a modern town." He marveled at the construction sites that shaped the village's landscape at the time, transforming its future.

Issa describes civil engineering as more than his career path – it is his calling. The recipient of a National Merit Scholarship from the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, he pursued his passion for civil engineering as an undergraduate student at the University of Ilorin in Nigeria.

Applying what he'd learned in and out of the classroom, Issa went on to serve as a project structural engineer at FAP Consulting, a renowned engineering company. His work fueled his passion, enabling him to collaborate with stakeholders and to craft innovative designs. He was involved with the development of a variety of important projects, including restaurants and office buildings. Whether he was leading a project or mentoring interns, he felt a sense of purpose.

Issa brought his passion to the United States and to the University of New Haven. He will accept his master's degree in civil engineering as part of Commencement , a three-day celebration on campus.

"Each day felt like a step toward unlocking my full potential in the field," he said. "It wasn't just about getting a degree. It was about being in an environment meant to shape future industry leaders. As I continue along this path, driven by choice, love, and passion, I am committed to making a meaningful impact on the world around me, one project at a time."

Issa's coursework enabled him to explore a variety of topics that he found to be both practical and stimulating, from structural engineering to sustainability. With the support of his faculty mentors, he also earned several certifications, including construction manager-in-training and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green associate.

One of the most exciting academic opportunities Issa has enjoyed as a Charger was the chance to attend the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants International Convention and Trade Show in Phoenix, Arizona. The convention opened doors for Issa, enabling him to expand his knowledge and his network.

"I delved into various aspects of building enclosures, from waterproofing to exterior walls and roofs, gaining insights that are crucial for ensuring the durability, sustainability, and performance of buildings," he recalls. "The chance to interact with students and industry experts from across the U.S. and Canada further enriched my experience, fostering invaluable connections and sparking new ideas."

Issa also gained valuable experience through his internship with Distinct Engineering, Inc. , a position he found through a career fair hosted by the University's Career Development Center . As a field inspector for the New Jersey-based firm, he worked on projects for clients such as Metro-North , collaborating with construction managers and contractors. Issa says it was an immersive learning experience that enabled him to build the skills he will need to power his career.

"My internship experience was invaluable, providing hands-on training in structural investigation, construction special inspection, project management, quality assurance, and stakeholder coordination," he explains. "It solidified my passion for civil engineering and equipped me with the practical skills needed for success in the industry."

Besides building his skills, Issa also built a network of friends and mentors at the University. He found a community and made many wonderful memories. From the beginning of his time as a Charger at the University's graduate student orientation , he felt at home on campus. He enjoyed connecting with other international students and found comfort in their shared experiences.

"The University's inclusive environment deserves praise," he said. "As a Muslim student hailing from Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, I had faculty who accommodated our religious practices during prayer times and the school provided dedicated spiritual spaces for prayers. During Ramadan, lecturers allowed time for breaking fast, and the Muslim Student Association provided food. These accommodations fostered a sense of belonging and made my educational journey fulfilling."

Issa immersed himself in the Charger community. He has had fun with old and new friends at events such as the University's International Festival, soccer tournaments, and the annual Taste of Africa event. He also connected with his fellow Chargers through his involvement in the University's Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) chapter and the African Graduate Students Association . He considers the SEI Student Conference he helped host earlier this year to be among his proudest and most memorable achievements as a Charger.

Whether he was connecting with his classmates, his faculty mentor Byungik Chang, Ph.D. , or other Chargers at events on campus, Issa felt like he was a part of a supportive community. He is particularly grateful for the support he received from University's vice president of student affairs and dean of students.

"Meeting Dr. Ophelie Rowe-Allen stands out as a highlight among my memories," he reflected. "Her genuine warmth and approachability during the orientation left a lasting impression on me. Whenever our paths cross on campus, she never fails to extend a friendly inquiry about my well-being, reinforcing the sense of community that defines the University of New Haven."

As he completes his last semester as a graduate student, Issa is looking forward to making a difference through his work. He's excited to make a positive impact on people's lives while also promoting sustainable development. He's driven by his belief in a future in which communities can flourish while offering everyone access to meaningful opportunities.

"My time at the University of New Haven wasn't just about getting a degree – it was transformative," he said. "I now have the skills, knowledge, and network to make a meaningful impact in civil engineering. I aim to improve the way we manage our built environment, particularly in urban areas, to ensure sustainable growth and development, especially in developing countries."

Recent News

Criminal Justice Major Reflects on University’s Unique Recruitment Program

Now in its second year, the Special Agent Talent & Achievement Recruitment (STAR) Program connects students with U.S. Secret Service representatives, streamlining the recruitment process and creating exciting opportunities for students.

Graduate Students Present Mental Health Research at Prestigious Conference

Sanmit Jindal ’24 MPH and Krupa Ann Mathew ’24 MPH collaborated with each other and with their faculty mentors as they gathered data at one academic conference and presented their findings at another. It was an exciting opportunity to explore research, to network, and to examine adolescent mental health.

• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

Onrí Jay Benally receives 2024 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Doctoral student Onrí Jay Benally is a 2024 recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Benally is currently pursuing his doctoral research under the guidance of Distinguished McKnight Professor and Robert F. Hartmann chair Jian-Ping Wang exploring the world of quantum computing and spintronic devices. 

A Navaho (Diné) tribesman and carpenter, Benally comes to us from the mountains of Red Valley and Oak Springs, Arizona. After graduating from tribal high school, he found himself building off-road electric vehicles at a Utah State University lab led by Professors Curtiz Frazier and Jared Barrett. Two years later, in 2017, he transferred to the University of Minnesota and accepted a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) through the NSF-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the University. During this time, he worked with Professor Vlad Pribiag (School of Physics and Astronomy) building nanoelectronic devices in the cleanroom for Majorana fermion research. The REU was Benally’s first brush with quantum technology exploration. He returned to the MRSEC REU in summer 2018 and this time he worked with Wang on micro and nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions for classical computer memory and logic applications. He earned his bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies from the University in 2021. 

While Benally was working on his undergraduate degree, he earned an IBM certificate in quantum computation using Qiskit, and began hypothesizing how metallic-based spintronics and new architectures could be used to support the expansion of quantum supercomputing worldwide. The initial hypothesis motivated him to enter ECE’s doctoral program in fall 2022. 

Reflecting on his interest in quantum technology and his skills as a carpenter, Benally says, "Carpentry was my livelihood on the tribe before completing my undergraduate degree. It is a big part of who I am and has indirectly led to my success as a nanofabricator of spintronics and quantum chips." Benally shares that one of his first toys as a kid was a toy hammer. 

Benally’s research interests revolve around the engineering of quantum computing hardware and spintronic devices. An interdisciplinary area, his research involves the nanofabrication of ultrafast nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions, cryogenic magnetic random-access memory (cryo-MRAM), and hybrid spintronic quantum processing units (QPUs), systems that can form scalable, sustainable quantum hardware architectures. Under the guidance of Wang, Benally designs and fabricates these systems at the Minnesota Nano Center at the University. Benally addressed these new developments in his keynote speech at the Arizona State University-led Quantum Collaborative Summit this past fall in San Antonio, Texas. Over the upcoming summer, Benally will be a graduate intern with IBM Research in Yorktown Heights, New York. As a quantum hardware engineer, he will be working on cutting edge cryogenic electronics for large-scale superconducting quantum computers.

Benally has accepted the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and feels honored to start delivering on his proposed ideas on supporting quantum supercomputing through spintronics and new architectures. 

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program helps “ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States.” Learn about the program and eligibility requirements.

Related feature stories

• In Conversation with alumna Pushpavati Paladugu
• Wen Zhou receives doctoral dissertation fellowship and Early Innovation Fund award
• Burhaneddin Yaman recognized with best dissertation award
• Renata Saha's team wins third place at MMM 2022 Magnetic Sensor Challenge
• Alumnus Thomas Coughlin is 2023 IEEE President-Elect
• Future undergraduate students
• Future transfer students
• Future graduate students
• Future international students
• Diversity and Inclusion Opportunities
• Learn abroad
• Living Learning Communities
• Mentor programs
• Programs for women
• Student groups
• Visit, Apply & Next Steps
• Information for current students
• Departments and majors overview
• Departments
• Undergraduate majors
• Graduate programs
• Integrated Degree Programs
• Additional degree-granting programs
• Online learning
• Academic Advising overview
• Academic Advising FAQ
• Academic Advising Blog
• Appointments and drop-ins
• Academic support
• Commencement
• Four-year plans
• Honors advising
• Policies, procedures, and forms
• Career Services overview
• Resumes and cover letters
• Jobs and internships
• Interviews and job offers
• CSE Career Fair
• Major and career exploration
• Graduate school
• Collegiate Life overview
• Scholarships
• Diversity & Inclusivity Alliance
• Anderson Student Innovation Labs
• Information for alumni
• Get engaged with CSE
• Upcoming events
• CSE Alumni Society Board
• Alumni volunteer interest form
• Golden Medallion Society Reunion
• 50-Year Reunion
• Alumni honors and awards
• Outstanding Achievement
• Alumni Service
• Distinguished Leadership
• Honorary Doctorate Degrees
• Nobel Laureates
• Alumni resources
• Alumni career resources
• Alumni news outlets
• CSE branded clothing
• International alumni resources
• Inventing Tomorrow magazine
• Update your info
• CSE giving overview
• Why give to CSE?
• College priorities
• Give online now
• External relations
• Giving priorities
• Donor stories
• Impact of giving
• Ways to give to CSE
• Matching gifts
• CSE directories
• Invest in your company and the future
• Recruit our students
• Connect with researchers
• K-12 initiatives
• Diversity initiatives
• Research news
• Give to CSE
• CSE priorities
• Corporate relations
• Information for faculty and staff
• Administrative offices overview
• Office of the Dean
• Academic affairs
• Finance and Operations
• Communications
• Human resources
• Undergraduate programs and student services
• CSE Committees
• CSE policies overview
• Academic policies
• Faculty hiring and tenure policies
• Finance policies and information
• Graduate education policies
• Human resources policies
• Research policies
• Research overview
• Research centers and facilities
• Research proposal submission process
• Research safety
• Award-winning CSE faculty
• National academies
• University awards
• Honorary professorships
• Collegiate awards
• Other CSE honors and awards
• Staff awards
• Performance Management Process
• Work. With Flexibility in CSE
• K-12 outreach overview
• Summer camps
• Outreach events
• Enrichment programs
• Field trips and tours
• CSE K-12 Virtual Classroom Resources
• Educator development
• Sponsor an event

April 29, 2024 - Environmental and Ecological Engineering - Purdue University

April 29, 2024

Eee graduate email, summer 2024 and fall 2024 candidacy, registration for summer 2024, registration for fall 2024.

Registration for Fall 2024 is currently open.

Please find registration time ticket group information here: https://www.purdue.edu/registrar/currentStudents/students/registrationFaq.html

OIGP Spring Reception - Wednesday, May 1st

The 15th OIGP Spring Reception will take place May 1, 2024. Please plan on joining The Graduate School’s Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs (OIGP) for the celebration of interdisciplinary graduate student research and scholarly excellence.

Please see attached for more information.

Institute for a Sustainable Future (ISF) Events

Please see  this link  for upcoming ISF events.

Purdue Calendars

Eee student news submission.

If you have questions related to the EEE Graduate Program, please e-mail [email protected] .

Attachments

• SpringReceptionFlyerFinal.pdf

• Share on Facebook
• Tweet this page
• Share on LinkedIn
• Print this page
• Email this page

News 2024: Electrical engineering PhD student wins Best Paper Award from Acoustical Society of America

David Campos Anchieta recently received the award for a paper he presented at the ASA meeting in Sydney, Australia

Electrical engineering PhD student David Campos Anchieta recently won the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Best Student Paper Award for a paper he presented at the ASA's Sydney meeting in December 2023.  Anchieta received a cash prize of $300 and a certificate celebrating his win.  Anchieta's research was part of a project sponsored by the Office of Naval Research called Universal Adaptive Beamformers .   

"My paper's title was 'Robust power spectral density estimation via a performance-weighted blend of order statistics,'" Anchieta said.  "In short, the power spectral density (PSD) tells how loud each frequency is in a piece of sound. We want to estimate PSD because it carries information about the environment where the sound was recorded. 

"For example, if you leave a microphone recording of sounds right below the surface of water, the PSD would be different when it's raining, dry, or windy. However, the environment may have other loud sounds from diverse sources, such as animals, boats, etc. Those sounds are outliers in the acoustic data that make it harder to estimate the PSD of the background noise. It's like trying to figure out the average income of a group of people in a classroom, but Jeff Bezos sneaked in, and now your average is much higher than it should be.  

"By using order statistics (such as median, for example) we can avoid the bias caused by those outliers. But there are several ranks of order statistics to choose from between the minimum and the maximum. To choose the best rank for each moment, we borrowed an idea from a technique used in signal processing called universal adaptive beamforming. The idea is to evaluate the performance of each of the rank order statistics and choose the ones that perform best." 

"David created a robust new technique for estimating the frequency content of the undersea soundscape, known as the power spectrum," explained Chancellor Professor John Buck . "Previous approaches to estimating power spectra suffered from bias created by noisy outliers such passing ships and marine animals, which David's technique successfully discards. His results are similar to the animated graphic equalizer we all know from music apps on our phones, but for underwater sound recordings instead of music. Accurately estimating the power spectrum in undersea recordings is critical for detecting rainfall from undersea recordings, tracking spawning fish populations, as well as many defense applications." 

Buck and Anchieta both presented at the ASA meeting in Sydney in December 2023. "It was a great experience traveling to Sydney for this meeting," Anchieta said.  "The city is really beautiful, and the meeting was great. I was able to meet colleagues from other institutions and get some feedback on my own project." 

Related articles

Apr 26, 2024 Summer 2024 undergraduate student researcher awards announced

Apr 24, 2024 UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology receives grant to create new offshore wind graduate certificate program

Apr 23, 2024 Electrical engineering PhD student wins Best Paper Award from Acoustical Society of America

Apr 18, 2024 UMass Dartmouth receives $1M from Greater Fall River Development Corporation with $500,000 in matching funds from the UMass Foundation for local student scholarships

Apr 18, 2024 Marketing majors partner with local New Bedford businesses

Categorized as

Civil and Systems Engineering, PhD

Whiting school of engineering.

Department website: https://engineering.jhu.edu/case/

The PhD program at the Johns Hopkins University  Department of Civil and Systems Engineering   aims to inspire the leaders of tomorrow to take on the challenge of creating and sustaining engineered systems that underpin  our society , from the built environment to public health systems .  Our graduate students work with faculty members who are world-renowned leaders in their fields and contribute to research that has a tremendous impact on society. The graduate program focuses on three fundamental areas of Structural Engineering, Mechanics of Materials, and Systems Engineering. Examples of current projects include fracture and fatigue in materials and structural systems, design of additively manufactured architected materials, earthquake engineering, and applying systems approaches to improving patient flow in hospitals and predicting virus outbreak.

Students graduate from the program with a sense of the responsibility that the civil and systems engineering profession accepts for applying the principles of engineering sciences for the betterment of the built environment and society. Its graduates have an appreciation of professional ethics and the value of service to their profession and society through participation in technical activities, and in community, state, and national organizations.

Both undergraduates and master's students are encouraged to apply to the PhD program in Civil and Systems Engineering. Once accepted to the program, students can pursue an area of interest in  Systems ,  Structures , and/or  Mechanics of Materials . Students do not need a civil engineering degree to apply - students from all technical backgrounds are welcome.

Financial Support

Financial support from the Department of Civil and Systems Engineering for PhD students provides full tuition, health insurance coverage, matriculation fee, and a 12-month stipend for enrollment for the entire duration of the program when PhD students are in a fulltime, resident status.

• Apply online
• Frequently Asked Questions  on the CaSE  Admissions page
• Full-Time Engineering Graduate Admissions

Program Requirements

PhD student requirements for the Civil and Systems Engineering Department include:

• 8 Courses at the 600- or 700-level, completed with a grade of B or better
• Two years/four semesters of graduate seminar courses (Fall semester – EN.560.691 Graduate Seminar , Spring semester – EN.560.692 Civil Engineering and Systems Engineering Graduate Seminar )

Department Qualifying Examination (DQE)

• AS.360.625 Responsible Conduct of Research short course
• EN.500.603 Graduate Orientation and Academic Ethics short course
• Final PhD Thesis Defense and Graduate Board Oral Examination (GBO)

There are a number of Whiting School of Engineering policies related to PhD students.

Typical Timeline for PhD Students

Note :  Teaching is an important component of PhD education and students may therefore be assigned teaching assistant duties during one or more semesters.  

Language/Communication Testing and Placement

All PhD students who do not have a prior degree from an English speaking university must take an English Language Assessment. If it is determined at the assessment that the student needs further English language instruction, they will be required to take AS.370.602 American English Pronunciation or equivalent.

Determination of Permanent Advisor

Students are admitted to work with a specific advisor, the faculty member, listed in the offer letter. If several faculty in the Department of Civil and Systems Engineering expressed a strong desire to work with the student, a nominal advisor will be assigned before the first semester to aid in course selection and provide general advice on PhD degree requirements. In this case, a permanent research advisor, from the faculty who expressed interest, will be selected by the end of the first semester.

A PhD student will not be able to remain in good standing with their academic and research progress if they do not have a research advisor. A student who is without a research/dissertation advisor for a period of 3 months may be placed on probation or terminated from the PhD program.

Intersession

Intersession (the period between Fall and Spring terms) is an important time for research. Any leave taken during intersession is subject to the policies outlined in the  Leave of Absence Guidelines. Release time (if any) granted in that period must be approved by the advisor.

The DQE is a comprehensive oral exam to determine whether or not the student is properly prepared to continue in the PhD program. All first-year students studying for a PhD take the DQE towards the end of their second semester, typically in May of the first year. This exam evaluates whether the student is prepared to continue in their PhD studies based on their research progress to date and plans for future research, as well as a grasp of the underlying mathematics and engineering concepts.  Possible outcomes of the exam are Pass, Retake, or Fail.  Only an outcome of Pass is considered passing the exam. If the student receives a Retake, they are provided a single retake of the exam, typically in the Fall of the second year. Possible outcomes of this exam retake are Pass or Fail.  If the outcome of the exam is Fail, the student may pursue, with approval from the chair, a MSE degree. Financial support for a student beyond a failed DQE is not typical.

Annual Reviews

Reviews of all PhD students in Civil and Systems Engineering must be performed annually prior to January 31, and are consistent with the WSE policy found in the Graduate Student Academic Review Policy.  The review process follows the format given in the annual review form . The completed form must be submitted to the Academic Program Administrator by January 31. If this annual review is not completed by this date, the student’s funding may be jeopardized.

PhD Thesis Committee

Every PhD student must have a Thesis Committee of at least 3 faculty members. The advisor, in consultation with their student, selects the makeup of the committee, and this information is recorded in the student’s file. The student is encouraged to meet with this committee a minimum of once per year. The thesis committee also typically serves as a subset of the actual GBO examination committee and forms the final PhD defense committee. This committee must consist of a minimum of 2 full-time faculty of the Civil and Systems Engineering Department.

Responsible Conduct of Research

Every PhD student of the Whiting School of Engineering is required to take the Responsible Conduct of Research course (details on the requirement can be found on the WSE Policy on the Responsible Conduct of Research Training webpage). For Civil and Systems Engineering students, this should be completed in the Fall or Spring of the first year of studies. Students who do not complete this requirement prior to Fall of their third year of studies may put their funding in jeopardy.

GBO Examination

The University maintains complete guidelines for the Graduate Board Orals  here.  The GBO committee consists of 5 members, (3 in department, 2 outside) with 2 alternates (1 in department, 1 outside) and is selected by the Department Chair and the Director of Graduate Studies, who will consult with the student’s advisor. The GBO in the Civil and Systems Engineering Department is a Final Exam and therefore held simultaneously with the student’s thesis defense. Both students and advisors should be aware that 4-8 weeks advance notice is needed in order to allow for scheduling the exam with the faculty and with the Graduate Board.

The student should provide a copy of the dissertation to the GBO committee at least 2 weeks prior to the exam. The exact format of each GBO examination is specified by the individual Chair of the GBO committee; however, a typical format is described here. The public thesis defense is conducted (see below) followed by a private examination conducted by the GBO committee. The examination questions may be on any topic of the committee members’ choosing, but many of the questions relate to the student’s research. At the conclusion of the examination, the GBO committee will recommend one of the following outcomes: pass, conditional pass, fail with re-examination, fail (final).

M.S.E. Degree for PhD Students

PhD students may petition for a non-terminal M.S.E. degree following a passed DQE.  If a student fails the DQE, they may petition for a terminal M.S.E. degree. In all instances, the student must have satisfied the M.S.E. degree course requirements.

In instances where the research is highly interdepartmental, the student, with permission of the advisor, may request that the M.S.E. degree be awarded by another department in the Whiting School of Engineering. In such cases, the student must have satisfied M.S.E. degree requirements and receive approval from the awarding department, as well as satisfied M.S.E. degree requirements of the Department of Civil and Systems Engineering and receive approval from our Department Chair. In all cases, the awarding of any JHU M.S.E. degree to a civil and systems engineering PhD student may only occur after the student has completed the DQE.

Thesis Defense

The Thesis Defense, together with the GBO, is the final examination before the conferral of the PhD degree. The student defends their  thesis in a seminar setting that is open to the public. The seminar is followed by a comprehensive examination of the student by the GBO committee.

Ethics : The Department of Civil and Systems Engineering is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of academic and research integrity. Plagiarism, and other forms of unethical conduct, are not tolerated. Students are referred to the JHU Graduate Board Policy webpage and the Whiting School of Engineering's Responsible Conduct of Research Policy for a discussion of ethics and university policies.

Thesis Readers: A committee of at least 3 members is required to read the candidate’s dissertation and sign the Readers Letter confirming that the dissertation meets the standards of a PhD thesis. The letter may be signed at the time of the defense if the thesis is found satisfactory or may be signed at a later time if corrections are required. The Advisor in consultation with the department selects the committee members, at least 2 of whom must be full-time faculty of our department. The 3 readers are also expected to serve on the GBO committee.  Selection of the readers should be done at the beginning of the semester in which the student plans to graduate. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the committee members apprised of all deadline dates.

Scheduling and Pre-Defense: The Defense should be scheduled, at least 4 weeks in advance through the department’s Academic Program Administrator. A complete written dissertation should be given to the GBO committee at least 14 days in advance of the exam. Failure to meet this 2-week deadline will result in rescheduling the PhD defense and GBO exam. A thesis abstract suitable for advertising the defense should be delivered to the Academic Program Coordinator at least 14 days in advance. The date and place of the Defense, along with the thesis abstract, will be circulated by the department at least 5 days prior to the exam.

Post-Defense : Completion of the PhD requirements typically takes 2-8 weeks after a successful defense examination. All data and source codes related to the thesis should be properly archived according to requirements set forth by the Advisor. Any changes or additions specifically requested by the reviewers before or during the defense seminar should be incorporated into the thesis in consultation with the Advisor. A final copy of the thesis must then be made available to the reviewers for inspection no less than 48 hours before the deadline date for filing set by the Graduate Board.

Additional Information:  It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of requirements and deadlines. It is suggested that this information be obtained before the start of the semester of intended graduation. All students should plan the timing of the final defense accordingly (making sure to account for the 4-8 week period following the defense) to satisfy any deadlines related to upcoming graduation or exhaustion of funding.

University requirements for the thesis can be obtained from the Graduate Board website . Information sheets entitled “Dissertation Requirements” are available to student and contain details on the form, cost, and timing for submitting the thesis. Doctoral Theses must be submitted to both the ETD (Library) and the department. The deadline date for filing is set by the Graduate Board Office. This date also applies to filing with the Whiting School Graduate Committee and with the department. A receipt of ETD approval email must be sent to the Academic Program Coordinator and the Graduate Board/WSE Office of Academic Affairs (for M.S.E students).