Department of Mechanical Engineering

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Department of
Mechanical Engineering

Top 12 – Graduate Students

top12
Updated March 31, 2020

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Whiting School has created an excellent information resource in the Homewood Graduate Student Frequently Asked Questions page, which addresses health and wellness needs, coping with social distancing, academic policy and grading adjustments, research, remote courses, and professional and visa concerns.

Check these “quick reference” pages for help on items important to grad students. Links to websites are blue.

What else would you like to see here?  What questions do you and your classmates ask often?  Send your ideas to co-webmaster Mike Bernard.

  • 1. WHO'S WHO: Your 'Go To' People - Administrative, Advising, Room Requests

    You can go to these Mechanical Engineering staff members for help!

    Kevin Adams, Senior Academic Program Coordinator
    me-academic@jhu.edu
    410-516-5930 | Latrobe 223

    • DQE and GBO Exam Scheduling
    • Key Distribution
    • Dissertation Defense Scheduling
    • Dissertation and Essay Printing Orders
    • Reserving rooms for class, lab, and group meetings
    • “Good Standing” letters
    • Teaching Assistant hiring and payments
    • Questions you are not sure who to ask for help

    Mike Bernard, Academic Program Manager
    me-academic@jhu.edu
    410-516-7154 | Latrobe 230

    • Payroll, Salary, and Fellowships
    • Financial Aid for Tuition and Health Insurance
    • Academic Advising – general questions
    • “Good Standing” letters
    • Reserving rooms for class, lab, and group meetings
    • Questions you are not sure who to ask for help

    Melissa Gibbins, Grants and Contracts Coordinator
    mgibbi1@jhu.edu| 410-516-6782 | Latrobe 223

    • Purchasing of supplies and equipment
    • Travel reimbursements
    • Coordinate shipments and deliveries
    • Reserving rooms for class, lab, and group meetings

    Deana Santoni, Administrative Supervisor
    dsantoni@jhu.edu | 410-516-6451 | Latrobe 223

    • Arranging meetings with the Department Head, Prof. Gretar Tryggvason
    • Postdoc appointments
    • Mechanical Engineering Graduate Seminar schedules

  • 2. STUDENT GROUPS: Who are MEGA, the GRO, and Student Associations?

    MEGA is the organization representing the general interests of the graduate students of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

    Visit the Student Groups page and select the MEGA tab.  Get involved!  It’s great fun!

    The Graduate Representative Organization is the advocacy group for all students on the Homewood Campus.  They are the liaison between the students and the Hopkins senior leadership.  The GRO hosts various social events through the year.
    There are a variety of graduate student associations and other social groups that the GRO and University invite your involvement. Visit the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Association page for student department activities.

  • 3. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: OIS, SSNs, Visas, OPT, and CPT

    The Office of International Services supports the international students, scholars, and faculty  associated with Johns Hopkins University.  Through a variety of services and programs, the OIS helps ensure that the legal, cultural, and other special needs of our international communities are met,
    A Social Security Number, or SSN, is needed for all international students who are paid a salary through student employment or graduate financial aid.

    Visit the OIS’s Social Security Number page to find out how to obtain one.

    The OIS helps students with visas:  F-1, J-1, and others.
    Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows students with an F-1 visa to engage in a work experience that is related to their field and commensurate with their level of study.

    Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a work authorization that allows an F-1 student to engage in work opportunity that is an integral part of an established curriculum. This is usually not available to Mechanical Engineering students.

    Contact the OIS directly for information and to apply.

    The Center for Language Education offers course in English language and writing, American culture, and other languages.

  • 4. ACADEMICS: Degree Requirements and Graduation, Master's All-Course Research, Responsible Conduct of Research, Degree Timelines, Full-Time / Part-Time, Non-Residency, Leave of Absence

    In the Master’s Academic Advising Manual, which is found on the Mechanical Engineering – Graduate Academic Advising page:

    • See Section 3 for master’s degree requirements and timeline.
    • See the subsections of Section 3 for information on required mechanical engineering courses, double-counting courses, accepted grades, essay readers, graduation, and academic performance requirements.

    Responsible Conduct of Research

    All students performing research, whether for pay, credit, or otherwise must take the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course.  Most master’s students will take the course online, which lasts about two hours.  Some will have to attend the in-person course, depending on the source of research funding.  Visit the Whiting School’s RCR page for information.

    Laboratory Safety

    Visit the Mechanical Engineering – Graduate Academic Advising page.  Information on laboratory safety requirements is in the section named “Research Laboratory Safety – Requirements.”

    Degree Timelines

    Visit the Mechanical Engineering – Graduate Academic Advising page. Info on Degree Timelines is listed with the degree requirements.

    Graduation

    Visit the “Preparing for Graduation” page for information on confirming graduation eligibility and applying to graduate.

    Forms to complete:

    • Certificate of Completion – Bring or send this form to Kevin Adams, Sr. Academic Program Coordinator.
    • Application for Graduation – master’s students can apply through their SIS record by the semester deadline.  Master’s students applying after the semester deadline and all Ph.D. students earning a master’s degree must complete the paper form.  Take this form to the Registrar.

    The Registrar will contact graduating students several months before Commencement about diploma and commencement arrangements.

    Our faculty welcomes master’s student participation in research, which greatly enhances your educational experience beyond coursework. Opportunities are available during the academic semesters, intersession, and summer through the course EN.530.600 MSE Graduate Research or through paid positions.

    Three credits of EN.530.600 will count as one of the courses required for an “all-course” master’s degree.

    • Generally, 40 hours of research work = 1 credit.
    • Students must register in the first two weeks of the semester to earn independent research or study credit that semester.  The University prohibits retroactive registration.

    How?

    To find research opportunities in Mechanical Engineering, contact the faculty directly to ask.

    • Visit the Faculty page for a list of our faculty and their research interests. There are links to their lab sites where you can view their research in detail.
    • Select a faculty member or two whose work interests you.
    • Be prepared to talk about what interests you about their research. On each Faculty member’s “full profile” pages are publications of their recent papers, which you can often look up in the MSE Library.  Read a couple papers. While you won’t be expected to know, much less understand everything in the papers, that fact that you took interest and can discuss what you read will impress professors.
    • Sometimes, professors would like to see your resume and/or transcript, so keep those handy when you make your first contact.
    • Contact the faculty members of interest by e-mail, phone, or in person and express your interest in their research and that you would like to get involved in their research.

    In the PhD Academic Advising Manual, see Section 4 for the degree requirements, which include the Departmental Qualifying Exam (DQE), the Graduate Board Oral (GBO) exam and the Dissertation Defense.  See the section on “Scheduling the DQE, GBO, and Dissertation Defense” for details on these exams.

    Responsible Conduct of Research

    All PhD students must take the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course.  PhD students will have to attend the in-person course.  Visit the Whiting School’s RCR page for information.

    Laboratory Safety

    Visit the Mechanical Engineering – Graduate Academic Advising page.  Information on laboratory safety requirements is in the section named “Research Laboratory Safety – Requirements.”

    Degree Timelines

    Visit the Mechanical Engineering – Graduate Academic Advising page. Info on Degree Timelines is listed with the degree requirements.

    Graduation

    • Visit the “Preparing to Graduate” page for information on confirming graduation eligibility and applying to graduate.
    • Application for Graduation – apply directly through your SIS record by the semester deadline.  PhD students applying after the semester deadline must complete the paper form.  Take this form to the Registrar.
    • Upon receipt of the Dissertation Defense Reader’s Letter from your advisor, Sr. Academic Program Coordinator Kevin Adams will submit it to the Johns Hopkins Graduate Board.
    • The Registrar will contact graduating students several months before Commencement about diploma and commencement arrangements.  The Whiting School of Engineering will contact graduating PhD students separately about hooding arrangements.

    MASTER’S – FULL-TIME
    To maintain full-time status, all WSE graduate students must be enrolled in at least 9 credits.

    Master’s students will be enrolled in at least 9 credits per semester.

    Students can achieve full-time status by registering for any combination of courses and seminars, as approved by one’s advisor. SIS is set to select appropriate credits:

    • Seminars – 1 credit
    • WSE courses, both undergraduate and graduate – 3 or 4 credits each
    • EN.530.600 Master’s All-Course – Graduate Research – 3-10 credits – only “all-course” or “”10-course” master’s students can take this course.
    • EN.530.602 Master’s Essay – Research and Writing or EN.530.609 Master’s Essay – Co-Op – 3-10 credits – enroll for this “Pass/Fail” course when doing essay research and writing, typically in the last one or two semesters. While the course can grant 3-10 credits per semester, most students will register for 3 credits per semester. Students must check with their advisors to confirm when to register for the course.
    • NOTE:
      • Audited courses do not count toward your full-time credit load.
      • Krieger School of Arts and Sciences’ graduate-level courses will not have credits listed in SIS, but will be recognized as 3-4 credits toward one’s full-time credit load.

    MASTER’S – PART-TIME
    Master’s students of the Department of Mechanical Engineering may become eligible for part-time status.

    “ALL-COURSE” MASTER’S STUDENTS
    All “all-course” master’s students must register full-time most or all semesters for a minimum of nine credits. If in a student’s final semester, less than nine credits are needed to complete the degree requirements, students can switch to part-time status.

    “ESSAY” MASTER’S STUDENTS
    After meeting the minimum two-semester “full-time” residency requirement – where a student pays full-time tuition for a minimum of two semesters – Whiting School master’s students who have not yet completed the research to the point where the final and sole activity is essay writing must maintain their “residency” status, but can register “part-time” by registering for eight credits or less in their final semester.

    For each semester where essay research and writing occurs, students must register for three credits of EN.530.602 Master’s Essay – Research and Writing or EN.530.609 Master’s Essay – Co-Op.

    INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
    Visit the Office of International Services’ “Full-Time Study Requirements” page that explains U.S. federal law on maintaining F-1 visas, which requires students to maintain full-time status, unless if in the final semester a courseload less than full-time is needed to complete the degree requirements.

    PART-TIME TUITION
    Students are charged tuition per-credit, which in the 2019-20 academic year is $1,845 per-credit. The student’s advisor or the department may choose to cover this charge, but that is not guaranteed.

    COURSE REGISTRATION
    The Mechanical Engineering department requires enrollment in courses:

    • Any remaining courses for the degree – 3-4 credits each
    • EN.530.602 Master’s Essay – Research and Writing or EN.530.609 Master’s Essay – Co-Op – 3-10 credits – for essay master’s students only. Enroll for one of these “Pass/Fail” courses when doing essay research and writing, typically in the last one or two semesters. While the course can grant 3-10 credits per semester, most students will register for 3 credits per semester. Students must check with their advisors to confirm when to register for the course.

    PART-TIME RESTRICTIONS

    • Part-time students are ineligible to work as a student worker, including as a Teaching Assistant.
    • Part-time students enrolled in the University health insurance must pay the full premium, which in 2019-20 is $1,103 per semester.

    HOW TO OBTAIN PART-TIME STATUS

    • Contact Academic Program Manager Mike Bernard to confirm eligibility to switch.
    • International students must obtain approval from the International Office using the OIS Reduced Course Load form.

    Visit the Whiting School Graduate Credit Hours page for information.

    Ph.D. – FULL-TIME
    To maintain full-time status, all WSE graduate students must be enrolled in at least 9 credits, but PhD students must be enrolled in at least 20 credits per semester.

    Ph.D. students can achieve at least 20 credits by registering for any combination of courses and seminars, as approved by one’s advisor. SIS is set to select appropriate credits:

    • Seminars – 1 credit
    • WSE courses, both undergraduate and graduate – 3 or 4 credits each
    • 530.801/530.802 PhD Graduate Research – 3-20 credits
    • NOTE:
      • Audited courses do not count toward your full-time credit load.
      • Krieger School of Arts and Sciences’ graduate-level courses will not have credits listed in SIS, but will be recognized as 3-4 credits per course toward one’s full-time credit load.

    Ph.D. – PART-TIME
    Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. students may switch to part-time status after the successful completion of the Graduate Board Oral examination and the Teaching Assistant requirement, with approval of both the research advisor and the Graduate Program Chair, as well as the Office of International Services for international students.

    INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
    Visit the Office of International Services’ “Full-Time Study Requirements” page that explains U.S. federal law on maintaining F-1 visas, which requires students to maintain full-time status, unless if in the final semester a courseload less than full-time is needed to complete the degree requirements.

    PART-TIME TUITION
    Students are charged tuition per-credit, which in the 2019-20 academic year is $1,845 per-credit. The student’s advisor or the department may choose to cover this charge, but that is not guaranteed.

    COURSE REGISTRATION
    Part-time students will take three credits of EN.530.801/802 Graduate Research each semester and some may continue to take the one-credit 530.803/804 Mechanical Engineering Graduate Seminar.

    Once a student is on part-time status, the research advisor may excuse the student from the EN.530.803/804 Mechanical Engineering Graduate Seminar requirement. Part-time students or their advisors will pay the part-time per-credit tuition.

    PART-TIME RESTRICTIONS

    • Part-time students are ineligible to work as a student worker, including as a Teaching Assistant, and will not be eligible for graduate student salary.
    • Part-time students enrolled in the University health insurance must pay the full premium, which in 2019-20 is $1,103 per semester.

    HOW TO OBTAIN PART-TIME STATUS

    • Contact Academic Program Manager Mike Bernard to confirm eligibility to switch.
    • Obtain approval from both the research advisor and the Graduate Program Chair
    • International students must first obtain approval from the International Office.

    Visit the Whiting School Graduate Credit Hours page for information.

    Once students begin their graduate course of study toward a degree, they must complete a minimum of two consecutive semesters of registration as a full-time, resident graduate student. To qualify as a resident student, the student must be present on campus and working toward fulfilling the requirements for the degree.

    Note that non-residency is available only after the research for the essay is completed and the only remaining step is for the essay to be written.

    Students are eligible for non-residency status when all degree requirements except the essay or dissertation are complete.

    • ADVANTAGES: Non-resident students pay only 10% of the full-time tuition but will still have all the privileges of full-time students such as access to campus services and faculty advising.
    • DISADVANTAGES: Non-resident students cannot enroll in courses and would lose the Whiting School’s financial support for health insurance. The department could choose to cover health insurance charges, but that is not guaranteed.

    Non-resident students are automatically enrolled in health insurance, but can waive the insurance, if eligible for waiver by proof of enrollment in another health insurance plan with similar coverage.

    Students must apply for non-resident status and to maintain non-resident status will have to register each semester plus provide a letter explaining their progress toward the degree’s completion.

    Occasionally, extenuating circumstances may require graduate students to take a leave of absence from their studies.

    Graduate students may apply for up to four semesters of leave of absence when medical conditions, compulsory military service, or personal or family hardship prevents them from continuing their graduate studies.

    Visit the Homewood Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs page for Enrollment Change forms. Select the appropriate form to either request, extend, or return from a Leave of Absence.

    The forms will explain that student privileges, degree progress, and access to health insurance may be affected. Contact the Registrar’s health insurance staff at ASENInsurance@jhu.edu to discuss your situation and determine what options exist.

    Please complete the form, obtain the appropriate signatures, and obtain the required documentation as noted on the form, and send or deliver the completed form and supporting documentation to Academic Program Manager Mike Bernard in Latrobe 230 or at me-academic@jhu.edu.

  • 5. EXAMS: Scheduling DQEs, GBOs, and Dissertation Defenses

    View the Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. Graduate Student manual for information.

    Section 3.3 describes Departmental Qualifying Examinations (DQEs)

    • Please read this section with your advisor early in your time here to become familiar with suggested courses to prepare for the exam.
    • Sr. Academic Program Coordinator Kevin Adams will arrange DQE schedules beginning in summer, and will contact students and professors directly.  Professors will complete the DQE Scheduling Request Form as part of the scheduling process.
    • The DQEs usually take place in September, with occasional exceptions.
    • Students usually take the DQE after the completion of the second semester.
    • Please contact Kevin to explain unusual circumstances or otherwise request to take the DQE at a different time.

    Section 3.4 describes Graduate Board Oral examinations (GBOs)

    • Students usually take the GBO about one year after taking the DQE, usually around the sixth semester.  The GBO is a two-hour oral exam.
    • Examiners include two Mechanical Engineering professors and two professors from other departments, plus one from either Mechanical Engineering or another Department. One of the outside professors, who will serve as the examination chair must be tenured.
    • One more MechE professor and one more professor from another department must be available as alternate examiners.  All seven examiners/alternate examiners must be available at the same day and time.
    • Advisors (not students) will select the examiners and alternates, with the Department Chair’s approval.
    • To schedule a GBO, please ask your advisor to complete the GBO Exam Request form and send it to Sr. Academic Program Coordinator Kevin Adams, who will arrange the schedule.

    Section 3.5 describes Dissertation Defenses

    • Your advisor will determine when you are ready for your dissertation defense.
    • Visit the “PhD – Before the Defense” and “PhD – After the Defense” tabs of the Graduate – Academic Advising Page for information.
    • The student and advisor will select the date and time of the defense and find the dissertation readers, who besides the advisor are another Johns Hopkins professor (from any department) and one other reader of the advisor’s choice.
    • Sr. Academic Program Coordinator Kevin Adams will reserve a room for the defense.
    • The advisor will prepare the Readers’ Letter and have it ready for the readers’ signatures at the defense.
    • When received, Kevin will send the signed Readers’ Letter to the University’s Graduate Board, who will certify the degree at the next available conferral – usually in April, December, and August.
    • Visit the Preparing to Graduate page to ensure all steps are taken on time.

  • 6. COURSES & POLICIES: Academic Calendar, Schedules, Course Registration, Catalog, Course Exception Waiver, Resources, Summer Independent Research

    Visit the Registrar’s “Academic Calendar” page for the academic calendar, which displays dates for registration deadlines, breaks and vacations, alternate class days (Monday-on-Thursday, for example), and exam periods.

    NEW!  Use this Checkout Sheet to plan your course work.

    You can also use the MSE Certificate of Completion to plan your courses.

    Your faculty advisor or Academic Program Manager Mike Bernard can help you with planning your coursework.

    Visit these pages for course schedules

    Visit these pages for information…

    Credits are now part of Graduate Course Registration
    All Whiting School of Engineering graduate students will register for courses with credits. Some things to know:

    • The Mechanical Engineering degree requirements do not change for the number or types of courses.
    • All Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) graduate-level courses (.600-level or higher) now have credits assigned to them.
    • To maintain full-time status, all WSE graduate students must be enrolled in at least 9 credits.
      • PhD students will be enrolled in at least 20 credits per semester.
      • Master’s students will be enrolled in at least 9 credits per semester.
    • Students can achieve full-time status by registering for any combination of courses and seminars, as approved by one’s advisor. SIS is set to select appropriate credits:
      • Seminars – 1 credit
      • WSE courses, both undergraduate and graduate – 3 or 4 credits
      • EN.530.600 Master’s All-Course – Graduate Research – 3-10 credits – only for “all-course” or “10-course” master’s students or PhD students earning an “all course” or “10-course” master’s degree.
      • EN.530.602 Master’s Essay – Research and Writing – 3-10 credits – enroll for this “Pass/Fail” course when doing essay research and writing, typically in the last one or two semesters. Students must check with their advisors to confirm when to register for the course.
      • 530.801/530.802 PhD Graduate Research – 3-20 credits
      • NOTE:
        • Audited courses do not count toward your full-time credit load.
        • Krieger School of Arts and Sciences’ graduate-level courses will not have credits listed in SIS, but will be recognized as 3-4 credits toward one’s full-time credit load.
    • Students enrolled in fewer than 9 credits per semester are part-time, which may affect residency requirements for all and visa concerns for international students. Please ask your advisor or Academic Program Manager Mike Bernard your questions before registering or if you want to change a course from “letter grade” to “audit.”
    • Visit the Whiting School’s Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
    Visit these pages for information…

    The Course Exception Waiver Form documents approved exceptions to the degree requirements.  This form is needed anytime there is an exception approved.

    Students who are employed during the summer must be enrolled in some course to avoid FICA (Social Security) taxation in their salaries.  Students who are employed and paid salary but who are not enrolled in a summer course will automatically be enrolled in the non-graded, non-credit “990.892 Summer Independent Research.” It is not a course, per se, but simply an acknowledgment that a student is registered as a student during the summer.

    This “course” does not get graded; it does not receive credit; and cannot be counted toward any degree requirements.

  • 7. EMPLOYMENT on CAMPUS: Salary, Teaching Assistants, Hourly Pay/Time Cards, Taxes, Pay Statements, Direct Deposit, Vacation/Sick/Holidays

    Visit the Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. Graduate Student manual for information.

    • Section 6 discusses Financial Aid types.
    • Section 9 discusses Payroll

    For additional help with graduate student financial aid that these pages don’t explain, please contact:

    • Mike Bernard – graduate student salaries and Departmental Fellowships.
    • Kevin Adams – Teaching Assistant pay, tuition, health insurance, and matriculation fees. Mike is available to discuss these, if Kevin is unavailable.

    The following students are eligible to work on the Homewood Campus, including teaching assistant and hourly-paid positions:

    NOTE: American students who are part-time are not eligible for student work.

    Teaching Assistant positions are provided to students who grade papers, conduct laboratories and hold office hours. TAs – who can be Ph.D. students, master’s students, junior and senior undergraduate students, and postdocs – are paid according to a formula that quantifies the number of hours required for a particular course, multiplied by an hourly rate, to be determined by the beginning of each semester.

    Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. students must act as a Teaching Assistant for two courses during their time at Johns Hopkins. Students can find opportunities with their advisor or other professors in Mechanical Engineering.

    Watch your e-mail for position announcements, usually in December and August.

    Sr. Academic Program Coordinator Kevin Adams will assist with TA hiring, payments, and payroll concerns.

    Sometimes, grad students have positions that are paid hourly.  Those hours are reported with time cards.

    Hourly Pay
    Hourly-paid Graduate Assistants in Mechanical Engineering generally make $16 per hour unless the position specifies a different rate.

    NOTE:  This is not for a grad student’s research assistantship, departmental fellowship, teaching assistant position, or for outside funding sources like a government fellowship.  This is only for hourly-paid positions.

    Time Cards
    Time Cards must be used to record hours worked.  Please use either:

    How to Submit Hours

    1. Complete all sections of the time card.
      • Name: the employee’s full name
      • “Pernr”: the SAP personnel number
      • Principal Investigator for Grant/CC: supervisor name
      • Cost Center/Internal Order: the account number to charge salary
      • Signature:  employee signature and date. Both can be typed.
      • PI/Supervisor Signature: supervisor’s signature and date. Both can be typed.
      • Hours Submitted by…: leave blank, as the MechE staff will complete this.
    2. Have the Principal Investigator (PI) or authorized supervisor sign the card to confirm and authorize your hours worked.
    3. Your PI or supervisor will send the card by e-mail to meadmin@jhu.edu.
      • Subject line must read:  “Time Card”
      • Attach the completed time card.
    4. Designated staff will record the time in the CATS system in SAP and file the submitted time cards.

    Deadlines
    Time cards must be submitted by e-mail to meet the submission deadline of 2:00 p.m. one week before payday.

    Visit the Hourly Payroll Submission Deadline Schedule for the deadline in the “Time Entry Cutoff 2:00 p.m.” column.

    Hours submitted after the deadline will be paid at the next available pay period.

    For information on taxes, including deductions and filing taxes, visit these pages:

    Visit ESS, or “Employee Self-Service” to view your pay statement, or pay “stub” as they were called when paper paychecks were the only option before Direct Deposit started.

    • Go to my.jhu.edu and sign in with your JHED ID and password.
    • Select the “HR” tab and then the “ESS” tab.
    • Sign in again with your JHED ID and password.
    • Select the “Payroll Info” tab and you will see the pay statement.

    You can arrange for Direct Deposit of your salary to any bank account.  Visit ESS, or “Employee Self-Service” to set up Direct Deposit or change accounts anytime.

    • Please have your bank account’s “routing number” and “account number” handy before signing in.
    • Go to my.jhu.edu and sign in with your JHED ID and password.
    • Select the “HR” tab and then the “ESS” tab.
    • Sign in again with your JHED ID and password.
    • Select the “Payroll Info” tab and you will see the option to set up or edit Direct Deposit. Follow the instructions to set up or update the account.

    Visit the Student Health Benefits page for information on graduate student health insurance benefits.

    View the Whiting School’s Graduate Student Assistant Leave Guidelines for information on paid vacation, illness, and holidays.

  • 8. CAREERS: Deciding Careers, Networking, Finding Your Great Job

    Visit our Careers and Life page for career exploration, networking, and to find internships and jobs!

  • 9. PURCHASING & HANDLING: Purchases, Reimbursements, Orders, Deliveries, Shipping, Packing Slips, and Mail

    There are specific rules and guidelines that the University requires for purchases to be made, whether that is for a research project, a club, or any other purchase where University funds are used in either a grant or in department funding.

    • Purchasing and Reimbursements guide – read this before making purchases to ensure you’re properly reimbursed.  Administrative Coordinator Melissa Gibbins can answer your questions at mgibbin1@jhu.edu or in Latrobe 223’s front desk.
    • Submit Reimbursement Requests Before 90 Days have Passed – Reimbursement requests must be submitted for reimbursement to the University within 90-days of the purchase date. Please submit your requests at least several days before this deadline to allow the department to submit the request on time. If they are submitted after 90 days, the expenses will be paid to the purchaser as a payroll supplement instead of reimbursement and will be subject to payroll taxation.

    Visit the Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. Graduate Student manual for information.

    • Section 8 describes purchasing equipment, supplies, services, and arranging travel.
    • Section 8.4 reminds us to obtain a Tax Exempt Sales Certificate before purchasing items with personal funds so you are not charged Sales Tax.  Johns Hopkins does not reimburse Sales Tax.
    • Section 8.6 describes travel arrangements.

    Typically, you can send a web link with the item you would like to purchase to:

    If you do not have the link, the following information is necessary to make an order:

    • Company name
    • Item number(s), or link(s) to item(s)
    • Cost
    • Quantity
    • Shipping – the least expensive shipping method will be used.
    • If the item weighs >100 lbs. or will be shipped on a pallet.
    • Budget number and approval from advisor.
    • If purchase exceeds $2,500, provide either three independent quotes or a Sole Source Justification provided by the advisor, so a Purchase Order can be placed in the Johns Hopkins SAP system.
    • All items delivered to the department will be received in Latrobe 217.
    • Items weighing >100 lbs. or are shipped on a pallet must be delivered to the end destination and not to Latrobe 217.  Please contact Melissa for assistance.
    • Items being delivered to the department must be shipped to

    Johns Hopkins University
    3910 Keswick Road
    Latrobe Hall, Room 217 – Attention: (recipient)
    Baltimore, Maryland 21211

    • International Shipping must be arranged through the Mechanical Engineering Administrative Office.
    • Outgoing packages related to University business will be packed by the sender, who will deliver the package to Latrobe 223 Front Office.  Senders must provide a cost center or internal order number.  The package will be sent by FedEx.

    In order to comply with federal and JHU auditing policies we are required to collect and file all packing slips from items purchased by our department. The packing slip is our proof the item was received.

    When receiving a package in Latrobe 217, everyone must take these steps:

    1. Open the package and verify the contents are what were ordered.
    2. Place the Packing Slip into the bin on the wall adjacent to the receiving table that corresponds to the faculty member who authorized the purchase.
    3. Sign the Shipping and Receiving book before leaving the room.

    At the end of each week the packing slips will be collected, scanned, and matched with the order in accordance with audit policies. Failure to properly retain and submit packing slips will result in the loss of ordering privileges.

    Please contact Administrative Coordinator Melissa Gibbins in Latrobe 223 for help.

    Interoffice and postal mail are delivered daily, usually in the early afternoon.  The front office staff will distribute the mail to mailboxes the same day or early the next morning.

    Packages larger than the mailboxes will be stored and registered in Latrobe 217 and recipients will be notified.  They should not be picked up until the packages are logged in.

  • 10. LABS, COMPUTING, RESEARCH, TRAVEL: Lab Safety, Computers, Software, Printers, Library Services, Travel Registry

    Laboratory Safety is the responsibility of all who use, maintain, or visit the labs within the Mechanical Engineering department. Laboratory researchers are responsible for working with the principal investigator to become familiar with the appropriate hazard information and safety policies before performing any work.

    Students in select laboratories will be issued lab coats and goggles, depending on the type of materials used in the labs.

    Visit the Mechanical Engineering – Graduate Academic Advising page.  Information on laboratory safety requirements is in the section named “Research Laboratory Safety – Requirements.”

    Resources

    Visit the Whiting School’s Manufacturing page for information on machine shop services, maker space, training, and student access to machining and tools.

     

     

    You are welcome to use the computer facilities throughout campus, especially in the Milton S. Eisenhower Library and the Brody Learning Commons.

    Laptops, pads, and software are available at a discount student rate when purchased through Hopkins.

    Canon Printer iR_ADV 6265 – Latrobe 217

    • Services include printing, scanning, faxing, file storage, copying
    • Driver Access and Operations Guide
    • IP Address:  10.160.48.40
    • Fax number is +1-410-516-4316.
      • Fax using individual sheets or multiple documents through the document feeder.
      • Dial “9” to get an outside line, then…
        • For local numbers, dial the area code and telephone number.
        • For long-distance numbers, dial “1” then the area code and telephone number.

    Large Format Printer – Latrobe Hall, 3rd Floor

    • Print posters and large-scale documents
    • IP Address: 10.160.48.244
    • USB Drive accessible
    • Contact Mechanical Engineering’s Administrator Marty Devaney with questions and to request access.

    The printer in the back of the administrative office is only for use by staff and faculty. Please do not connect to or use that printer.

    Mobile Printing

    The University provides mobile printing options at a cost.

    Visit the Johns Hopkins Library page for information about our libraries.

    You have a librarian!  Contact Engineering Librarian Steve Stich at 410-516-8357 or sstich@jhu.edu.  He can help you find research resources and show you how to use the library’s resources and services.

    The International Travel Registry provides an easy-to-use way for those traveling internationally on university-related business to register their travel plans.

    In partnership with International SOS, registered travelers will receive assistance with pre-travel preparations, including notifications about the destination country, risks, and prevention measures.

    Be sure to create your own Travel Profile so staff can contact and support you in the event that there is a natural disaster, political unrest or other emergency situation in locations where you travel.

  • 11. FACILITIES: Getting Help with Problems in your Lab or Office, Reserving Latrobe Conference Rooms

    The Mechanical Engineering department has 30 laboratories throughout the Homewood campus.  With the depth and breadth of our research, labs can be as simple as a laptop on an office desk to as complex as a full laboratory with elaborate equipment and potentially dangerous situations and substances that need vigilant maintenance.

    Inevitably, there will be problems with offices, facilities, and equipment that need attention beyond our department’s ability to address them.  There is a central reporting tool that the department uses to vet, record, and refer such problems to get the appropriate help.

    Visit the Mechanical Engineering Department Facilities Concerns site to report your problem, no matter what type or size.

    Contact Administrative Coordinator Melissa Gibbins to reserve Latrobe 106 or Latrobe 320.

  • 12. Safety, Security, Well-Being, Getting Personal or Academic Help, and EMERGENCIES

    In case of emergency:

    The Johns Hopkins Safety and Security office offers many services to keep you and those around you safe. View the page for information on those services and other tips for your personal safety.

    Check out the Student Wellness page, which offers support and services in seven key areas of wellness:  emotional and mental health, physical health, finances, professional life, spiritual health, sexual health, and social well-being.

    Occasionally, students may feel overwhelmed by the rigors of education, especially if coupled with outside stresses like health and family concerns.  Johns Hopkins offers a host of resources where you can ask for and receive help.

    If you need someone to listen, you can talk to your advisor, Academic Program Manager Mike Bernard or Academic Program Coordinator Kevin Adams.  Sometimes, venting to someone may be all you need.

    Sometimes, though, you may want to talk to someone who is trained to help people in distress.  View these pages for information and hours:

    If you are struggling with any course homework or exams, having trouble attending lectures, or experiencing any academic difficulties, don’t wait!  Ask for help early.  It’s okay and welcomed!  We can help you surmount your troubles and succeed!

    Here are some resources where to turn:

    • First, talk to your Professor, Faculty Advisor, or Teaching Assistant.
    • In addition, you can also talk to these folks:
      • Your Mechanical Engineering Academic Staff – Mike Bernard or Kevin Adams
      • Allison Leventhal, Student Life Administrator –
        410-516-2328 or aleventhal@jhu.edu
      • Christine Kavanagh, Assistant Dean of Graduate Affairs –
        410-516-5938 or ckav@jhu.edu
      • Prof. Sri Sarma, Vice Dean for Graduate Education – 410-516-3481 or ssarma2@jhu.edu.

  • And one more thing... (Click here)

    Go have some fun! (Click here, too!)

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