PhD Student Resources

CDES students must follow the policies set forth by the department, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and the University at Buffalo (UB).

The Graduate Coordinator is the central resource for all administrative issues related to graduate studies (force registration, student appointments, paperwork processing etc). The coordinator can be contacted by emailing cdsedept@buffalo.edu or by visiting 415 Bonner Hall.

Students will have various forms that need the advisor, PhD committee, and Director of Graduate Studies’ signatures, to track important milestones and progress. To get the Director’s signature on any forms, please give them to the Graduate Coordinator who will prepare a packet of relevant supporting documentation and give it to the Director for his or her signature.

Upon acceptance into the CDES program, students may be assigned a primary advisor. In the case that a primary advisor is not assigned, a mentor will be provided to the student. It is the student's responsibility to work with their mentor and find a primary advisor to guide their research and plan of study. The primary advisor should be selected by the last day of the first semester of study.

The primary advisor will guide students through all CDES milestones.