Program Kick-Offs | Columbia Engineering

Each Program or Department has a mandatory kick-off in which you will learn more about your degree program, faculty, meet new classmates and receive advising. This Kick-Off is organized by the leadership of your academic program and is separate from Welcome Day.

Kick-Offs by Program

Administrators from each department will provide times and meeting locations directly.

Applied Physics & Applied Math
MS students in Applied Math, Applied Physics and Materials Science & Engineering:
- 8/31/2026
- 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
- Location: TBD
MS students in Medical Physics:
- 9/1/2026
- 12:00 - 2:00 PM
- Mudd 210
PhD students:
- 9/1/2026
- 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Location: TBD
Biomedical Engineering
MS Orientation
- 9/02/2026
- 10 am - 12 pm
- Location: TBD
PhD Orientation
- 9/04/2026
- 10 am - 12 pm
- Location: Mudd 343
Chemical Engineering
- MS Orientation
  - 8/31/2026
  - 9:30 AM
  - Location: TBD
- PhD Orientation
  - 8/26/2026
  - 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
  - Location: Mudd 826
Civil Engineering & Engineering Mechanics
- MS Orientation/PhD Orientation
  - 9/1/2026
  - Tentative date for Welcome Lunch
  - Virtual Orientation details TBD
Computer Science
- MS Orientation
  - Virtual Orientation
    7/15/26
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  - In-Person Reception
    9/1/26
    2:00 PM
    CS Student Lounge
- PhD Orientation
  - TBD
Data Science
- MSDS Program
  - 8/30/2026
  - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
  - Tentative date/time, details to be confirmed
Earth & Environmental Engineering
- TBD
Electrical Engineering
- MS/PhD Orientation
  - 9/3/2026
  - 9:30 am
  - Location: TBD
Industrial Engineering & Operations Research
MS Orientation
- 8/19/2026
- 10:00 AM
- Location: Miller Theatre
PhD Orientation
- 8/28/2026
- Details to be confirmed
Mechanical Engineering
- MS Orientation/PhD Orientation
  - TBD
MSAI
- MS Orientation
  - TBD

Department Contacts

Applied Physics & Applied Math
Montserrat Fernandez-Pinkley: [email protected]
Svitlana Samoilina (Medical Physics only): [email protected]
Biomedical Engineering
Rosangely Gomez Estrada: [email protected]
Chemical Engineering
Kathy Marte: [email protected]
Gregory Chingas: [email protected]
Raina Ranaghan (Career Placement): [email protected]
Civil Engineering & Engineering Mechanics
Scott Kelly: [email protected]
Emily McCormack (Career Placement): [email protected]
Computer Science
MS Student Affairs: [email protected]
PhD Student Affairs: [email protected]
Career Placement: [email protected]
Data Science
DS Advising: [email protected]
Robert Kramer: [email protected]
Taylor Reyes: [email protected]
Earth & Environmental Engineering
Elizabeth Allende: [email protected]
Raina Ranaghan (Career Placement): [email protected]
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Elsa Sanchez: [email protected]
Jennifer Lee (Career Placement): [email protected]
Industrial Engineering & Operations Research
Student Affairs: [email protected]
Mechanical Engineering
Mel Francis: [email protected]
Ella Murray: [email protected]