It's spring semester! For those of you returning to campus, welcome back! And to the 300+ new Pittsburgh-based graduate students joining the Tartan community, welcome to Carnegie Mellon! We're so glad you're here. On January 12, new graduate students participated in University-Wide New Graduate Student Orientation, learning essential information about Carnegie Mellon and life in Pittsburgh. In next month's issue of The Graduate Student News, we'll share more details about orientation, including event photos. For now, we hope you are all settling in, and wish you the best for a productive, fulfilling semester.

It’s 3MT Season!

Quick Facts (More Details Here):

• Registration deadline: January 26, 2024. Register here!  
• Preliminary competition rounds: February 5 - 22, 2024
• Championship: March 14, 2024

Are you ready to experience 3MT? The annual Three Minute Thesis competition–known as 3MT–requires contestants to present a compelling overview of their thesis in three minutes. 3MT, which began in Queensland in 2008 and has spread to hundreds of universities in 85 countries, was introduced to CMU in 2013 by Helen and Henry Posner, Jr. Dean of Libraries Keith Webster. CMU doctoral students from any college or school, and in any stage of their program, are eligible to enter. The competition offers cash prizes for the winners ($3,000 for first place!), as well as prizes for audience and alumni favorites. Over 50 students participated in 2023, and excitement about 2024’s competition is ramping up!

“We at CMU Libraries are looking forward to another great year of 3MT, and are eager to learn about the fascinating research that is being conducted at CMU,” says Business & Economics Librarian Ryan Splenda. “Our hope is to have strong representation from all of CMU’s Colleges and Schools in order to highlight the great work of the University as a whole.”

A 3MT presentation must showcase the background, details, and significance of the entrant’s research area–and be comprehensible for a general audience. The challenge for entrants is vast: break down years of exhaustive, often technical research into an engaging three-minute talk, with only one slide (and no notes!) permitted. But the value is significant, too–and not just the generous cash prizes. Students who prepare for 3MT generate interest in their research, make cross-department connections, earn recognition for their work, and learn from their peers. Furthermore, the intense preparation pays off well beyond the competition: participants conclude the 3MT process with a clear and compelling “elevator pitch” they can use whenever a new acquaintance, colleague, or prospective employer asks what their thesis is about. Being able to vividly discuss research with others, from any academic or nonacademic background, is an invaluable skill.

Splenda points out, “Communication continues to be an essential skill across all fields, disciplines, and careers. The 3MT Competition allows for researchers to hone these skills while doing so about something that they care very deeply about–their research!”

Preparing for 3MT is intense, but the University Libraries offers many resources to support the process, including workshops and a roster of subject-matter experts. Recordings of winning presentations from around the world can be found here, and presentations from CMU winners and finalists going all the way back to 2014 can be viewed here. 

The entire CMU community is welcome to attend both the preliminary competition rounds taking place February 5 - 22 and the 3MT championship on March 14, and the full schedule of events can be found here. If you’re a doctoral student and haven’t registered for this year’s competition, you still have time! Registration for 3MT ends on Friday, January 26. You can register here.  

This month, we're continuing our Graduate Student Career Services series, which highlights the career and professional development resources that are available to graduate students across Carnegie Mellon University. In case you missed last month's issue, you can read our first installment--focusing on The Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC)--here.

Read on to learn about this month's partners, the Reidy Career Center, which serves students in Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, and the Masters Career Center, which serves students in the Tepper School of Business!

Reidy Career Center

The Reidy Career Center provides comprehensive career services tailored specifically to the needs of our master’s students at the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy.

Location: Hamburg Hall, Room A008

Contact: cs77@andrew.cmu.edu / 412-268-2166

Make an Appointment: Handshake

What services does the Reidy Career Center provide to graduate students at Heinz?

We offer a wide range of services designed to support the professional development and career readiness of our students. These include:

• Career Advising: One-on-one career coaching sessions where students can receive personalized advice on career planning, resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, and job negotiation strategies.
• Workshops and Seminars: Regularly scheduled workshops that cover various aspects of career development, including industry insights, networking techniques, and leveraging social media for job searching.
• Employer/Alumni Events: We host numerous events throughout the year where students can meet and network with potential employers and alumni. This includes career fairs, company information sessions, panel discussions with industry leaders, and networking events in cities where large numbers of our Heinz College alumni reside.
• Internship and Job Opportunities: Access to internship and job postings specifically targeted toward the skillsets and interests of Heinz College students.

What upcoming events would you like Heinz students to know about?

We have several exciting events planned for the upcoming semester. For dates, times, and locations, Heinz students can log into CampusGroups. Events include:

• State & Local Government Week (Happening Now!): This week consists of a series of events focused on impactful and innovative careers in State & Local Government. This week-long event connects students with Heinz alumni and employers to navigate careers in the public sector.
• Mock Madness (Beginning January 29): Mock Madness Month is an event focused on technical, case, and behavioral interview prep. This cross-departmental program featured various interview prep sessions led by Heinz Alumni & Employer Partners and provided opportunities for students to participate in a mock interview hosted by Heinz Alumni volunteers.
• AI Week (Beginning March 12): A dynamic, educational program for all Heinz College students to explore the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence. This week-long event will connect students with pioneers in the AI industry while providing them with applications of this new technology.
• Heinz-Specific Career Fairs including the Government, Education, and Nonprofit Career Fair & Entertainment & Arts Virtual Career Fair (Various Dates To Be Announced)

What advice would you like to offer Heinz students?

Actively engage with the career resources available to you. Start early in your academic journey to explore your interests, build your network, and develop your professional skills. Don't hesitate to seek advice and feedback and remember that your career path is a journey of learning and growth.

Does the Reidy Career Center offer any events or services that are open to all CMU graduate students?

While many of our services are tailored specifically for Heinz College students, we do offer some events and workshops that are open to all CMU graduate students. For example, this past semester, in a partnership with the CPDC, we hosted the PIT-UN Career Fair that was open to all CMU students. This career fair was specifically designed to raise awareness and connect students to opportunities in the Public Interest Technology sector.

Masters Career Center

The Masters Career Center provides comprehensive career services tailored specifically to the needs of master’s students in the Tepper School of Business.

Contact: tepper-mcc@andrew.cmu.edu / 412-268-2278

What services does the Masters Career Center provide for graduate students at Tepper?

The Tepper Masters Career Center (MCC) provides comprehensive career services support to our MBA, MSPM (Master of Science in Product Management), and MSBA (Master of Science in Business Analytics) students. Our career counselors/coaches all come from industry, with deep experience in the type of jobs our students typically pursue. Several of them are Tepper degree holders themselves and provide a high level of individualized support as our students seek out relevant internships and/or full-time jobs.

What advice or words of wisdom would you like to offer graduate students at Tepper?

Our team of eight career counselors/coaches have experience across diverse industries like banking, consulting, technology, healthcare, consumer goods, and others. This range of experience lends itself to having a team with a similar range of counseling styles and personalities. Once initial meetings have been accomplished with their assigned counselor, our students are free to “move about the cabin" and meet with other MCC counselors, whether for information on their "Plan B" career path or for additional advice and support.

Take full advantage of the resources of the MCC–we are here to help our Tepper graduate students be successful in their career search!

Tomas Suarez Omedas (he/him)

College: Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Neuroscience Institute

Year / Degree Program: 3rd-year PhD student in Systems Neuroscience

Hometown: Caracas, Venezuela

What are your academic and/or professional goals? 

 I am very passionate about education. I want to revolutionize the perception we have about education and create a world in which we recognize the skill of educating others as valuable (and be remunerated accordingly).

Tell us about a significant moment in your academic journey at CMU so far.

A significant moment in my academic journey was achieving the first batch of significant results in my research about half a year ago. It took me a few months of low-quality experiments with poor results to achieve the skills I needed to carry out my project, but now I am moving forward with more confidence and steadily adding results to my project.

What do you like to do in your time away from academic work? 

 I like to play music. I play six instruments and have fun both playing on my own and jamming with my friends.

Tell us about your last memorable meal. What was it, where did you have it, and who were you with?

A very memorable meal I had this year was in Cape Town, South Africa, last summer. I was backpacking on my own, and after a long day of traveling I went to a Zimbabwean restaurant where I had a stew dish that I cannot name with fufu on my first night in Cape Town. Incredibly flavorful, and nothing beats eating with your own two hands.

What’s your favorite thing about Pittsburgh?

My favorite thing about Pittsburgh is biking. It is fairly easy to bike places here (by U.S. standards), saves gas money, makes you exercise, and is super fun!

Harsha Nikhar (she/her)

College: Information Networking Institute

Year / Degree Program: 2nd-year master’s student, Mobile and IoT Engineering

Hometown: Pune, India

What are your academic and/or professional goals?

After completing my graduate studies, my aspiration is to find a fulfilling position in the software industry where I can contribute to innovative projects and make a positive impact on the world.

Tell us about a significant moment in your academic journey at CMU so far.

One particularly significant moment in my academic journey at CMU was my participation in the Google Solution Challenge Ideathon 2023, organized by Google Developers Student Club-CMU. Despite being a last-minute decision, our team stood out among 25 others and received the prestigious Best Technical Architecture award. This experience not only honed my technical skills but also highlighted the power of teamwork and quick decision-making.

What do you like to do in your time away from academic work? 

During my leisure time, I find joy in dancing. At CMU, I had the opportunity to engage in various dance clubs, including bhangra, bajata, salsa, and tango. Dancing served as a therapeutic escape from academic pressures, providing a perfect balance to my routine.

Tell us about your last memorable meal. What was it, where did you have it, and who were you with?

My last memorable meal took place at Stack'd, my favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. The delectable burger at this spot always brings me joy. This particular visit was shared with my buddies at CMU, marking the last time we dined together before embarking on different journeys. The occasion was both nostalgic and heartwarming, creating lasting memories.

What’s your favorite thing about Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh holds a special place in my heart as the first home I found in the USA as an international student. The city's calm and picturesque surroundings, coupled with the warmth of its people, have made my experience truly memorable. From commuting on buses 61C and 61D to late-night studies and catching the CMU shuttle, every moment contributed to my fondness for Pittsburgh. Watching the CMU drama club's performance of "As You Like It" added a nostalgic touch. Pittsburgh will forever remain a cherished chapter in my journey.