Graduate Advising

We're Here to Help You

The Graduate program staff are here to help you get the most out of your graduate engineering education and prepare for a successful career. 

Please see below about how our Electrical and Computer Engineering advising staff can endeavor to serve you and how you can contact them with questions via email or make an online advising appointment. If you should come into any conflict during your journey at UC Davis please see our Conflict Management Guideline.

Graduate Program Staff

Michelle Walker

Graduate Program Coordinator

Email | Phone | Biography

Talk to Michelle by appointment only. To book an appointment, send her an email.

Venkatesh Akella

Professor and MS Program Director

Email | Biography

Omeed Momeni

Professor and Vice Chair for Graduate Studies

Email | Biography

Weijian Yang

Associate Professor and Graduate Faculty Advisor

Email | Biography

Advising Appointments

Current students can schedule advising appointments through the Advising Appointment System. If you're unable to access the system, please contact the appropriate advisor by email.

To schedule an appointment:

1. Open the Advising Appointment System.
2. Select Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Offices by College/Major/Minor dropdown menu.
3. Choose the advising option that matches your needs below.

Ph.D. Students

• Graduate Faculty Advising
  • Meet with Professor Weijian Yang
• Graduate Staff Advising
  • Meet with Graduate Program Coordinator Michelle Walker

First-Year M.S. Students

Schedule an appointment with a faculty advisor based on your research interest:

• Computer Engineering
  • Meet with Professor Hussain Al-Asaad
• Information Systems, Bio, Agriculture & Health
  • Meet with Professor Zhi Ding
• Integrated Circuits & Systems
  • Meet with Professor Rajeevan Amirtharajah
• RF-to-THz, Quantum & Devices
  • Meet with Professor Omeed Momeni

Continuing M.S. Students

If you are not a first-year M.S. student, schedule an appointment with Professor Venkatesh Akella.

Visit the Advising Appointment System

Advising Structure and Mentoring

Ph.D.

• The major professor is the faculty member who assists the student in preparing a detailed program of study and who supervises the student’s research and dissertation. The major professor serves as the chair of the Ph.D. Guidance Committee and Dissertation Committee. The major professor also serves as a member of the Qualifying Exam Committee.
• The Graduate Faculty Advisor, who is nominated by the department chair and appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies, is a resource for information on academic requirements, policies and procedures, and registration information until the Ph.D. Guidance Committee is formed.
• The Graduate Program Coordinator should be the first person consulted on all actions regarding graduate affairs. The Graduate Program Coordinator may advise the student to contact the ECE Graduate Advisor or the Office of Graduate Studies to address particular issues.

M.S. and B.S./M.S. Integrated Degree

• The major professor is the primary mentor during the student’s career at UC Davis and will assist with developing the student’s Program of Study. The major professor serves as the chair of the Thesis Committee (for Plan I) or Comprehensive Exam Committee (for Plan II). The student must select a major professor from the members of the ECE Graduate Program as soon as possible, but no later than the beginning of the third quarter of enrollment. In the case of a change of major professor, signatures of the previous and new major professor are required acknowledging the change. The ECE Vice Chair for Graduate Studies, also referred to as the Graduate Program Chair, will serve as the interim advisor to new students during the process of selecting a major professor.
• The Graduate Faculty Advisor, who is nominated by the department chair and appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies, is a resource for information on academic requirements, policies and procedures, and registration information until a major professor is selected. The ECE Graduate Advisor is responsible for reviewing programs of study for each student and acting on student petitions.
• The Graduate Program Coordinator should be the first person consulted on all actions regarding graduate affairs. The Graduate Program Coordinator may advise the student to contact the ECE Graduate Advisor or the Office of Graduate Studies to address particular issues.