Student Services & Advising

Advising at PMB

Graduate Student Affairs Officer (GSAO)

Lyn Rivera is the GSAO for PMB.  She is responsible for the administrative advising of graduate students. She reminds students about registration and fellowship deadlines, stays abreast of admissions, degrees, fellowship, and appointments requirements, as well as manages administrative paperwork on behalf of the program and its graduate students. Departments may add other roles and responsibilities to the work of these staff graduate advisors.

Head Graduate Adviser

Arash Komeili is the department head graduate adviser and professor of the program. He oversees the general progression and process of students through the program,  focusing on matters concerning graduate enrollment, degrees, progress, and financial aid, such as admission, reenrollment, change or addition of major, graduate standing, and appointment of Qualifying Examination and dissertation committees.

Equity Advisers

PMB’s current equity advisors are Mary Wildermuth and Michi Taga. They serve as resources for ensuring equity in faculty searches and graduate admissions, work on promoting an inclusive departmental climate, and create long-term plans for increasing diversity. Equity advisors are available for one-on-one consultations about concerns related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, such as departmental procedures, mentoring challenges, bullying, disability accommodations, and more. 

GSI Adviser

Kathleen Ryan is the current department GSI (Graduate Student Instructor) adviser. The Faculty Adviser for GSI Affairs functions as a liaison among the Graduate Division, program faculty, and GSIs; provides information concerning policies relating to GSIs to faculty and GSIs in the program; and raises issues on their behalf with the administration.  Like the Graduate Advisors, they are nominated by the program and appointed by the Dean of the Graduate Division, and must be tenured Academic Senate faculty unless the Dean approves an exception.

Faculty advising for graduate students

An important ingredient in your academic success and your professional development is the mentoring and guidance provided by faculty. Review the Graduate Division webpage, Getting Mentoring, to read how to receive the mentoring you need.

Peer Graduate Advisers

The mission of the Peer Advising Group is to create a comfortable community to discuss and address concerns of first and second-year PMB graduate students. Peer Advisers provide ongoing advice as students navigate common and unique issues faced in the transition to graduate school. They also facilitate connections with senior PMB graduate students and provide access to the myriad of campus and community resources to help new students face and resolve their concerns in a confidential and personalized manner. Learn more and meet the current advisers on the peer advising page NEED TO FIX LINK.