Carnegie Mellon University
Software and Societal Systems Department  ›  Software Engineering Ph.D. Program  ›  Prospective Students  ›  Outcomes

Program Outcomes

Graduates of Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering PhD Program lead innovation at top-tier institutions and influential corporations, applying rigorous research to complex real-world challenges. Our alumni have founded industry-defining startups, directed R&D at Fortune 500 companies such as Google and IBM, and advanced software systems at leading-edge organizations like Samsung Research, Meta, and Adobe Research. Based on a survey of alumni profiles on LinkedIn as of March 2025, 48% of our PhD alumni drive technological advancement within the tech industry, while 23% cultivate groundbreaking academic research. At CMU, your research translates directly into solutions with tangible impacts—software systems used by millions across the globe.

"The Software Engineering PhD at Carnegie Mellon taught me not only how to think in abstractions, but how to inspire fellow engineers with the value of rigorous, model-based engineering. CMU uniquely prepared me to communicate complex technical concepts and practically apply them—skills that are crucial to advancing the field of software engineering."

Dr. (Owen) Shang-Wen Cheng
Principal Software Systems Engineer
Anduril Industries

Innovators

As industry innovators, graduates such as Afsoon Afzal (Technical Lead at Zipline) and Vishal Dwivedi (Senior Software Engineer II at Instacart) bridge academia and engineering practice, navigating systemic constraints from policy, economics, and evolving market demands to deliver solutions that meaningfully impact people's lives.

Scholars

As faculty, our graduates integrate technical rigor with practical insights into software systems. Alumni like Thomas LaToza (George Mason University) and Jenna Wise (Purdue University) steer academic research informed by real-world software engineering challenges.

Leaders

As senior technical leaders, our alumni bring a distinctive systemic perspective to software engineering. Leaders such as George Davis (Director of AI Product at Hubspot) and Ciera Jaspan (Staff Software Engineer and Tech Lead at Google) leverage foundational principles mastered at CMU to drive innovation and address large-scale societal and technological problems.

With tailored career guidance and access to an extensive global alumni network, the Software Engineering PhD program positions you to excel wherever your ambitions lead. Our alumni hold influential roles—from Associate Professors at prestigious universities such as Purdue and the University of Toronto, to senior leadership positions including Engineering Directors at PayPal, Chief Supply Chain Officers at Tenaris, and staff engineering roles at industry-leading technology companies. The rigorous training you'll receive—covering software systems design, engineering methodologies, and strategic problem-solving—prepares you not only for your first role, but for a lifetime of leadership in a rapidly evolving field.

Dr. Owen Cheng, smiling confidently, wearing professional casual attire, standing in a bright office environment with blurred background highlighting workplace activity.Dr. (Owen) Shang-Wen Cheng

Current Position: Principal Software Systems Engineer
Employer: Anduril Industries
Industry Sector: AI/Robotics

Research Focus: Software architecture and self-healing systems under the supervision of David Garlan, focusing on architecture-based self-adaptation and handling uncertainty in autonomic systems.

Career Path: After completing his PhD in Software Engineering in 2008 at Carnegie Mellon University, Owen applied his expertise in model-based software engineering at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, contributing to the development and operation of flight software for the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. In 2016, he joined Uber's Advanced Technologies Group as a Senior Software Engineer. At Uber ATG, Owen continues to leverage his extensive experience in software architecture, implementing best engineering practices across diverse projects, including the development of onboard vehicle telemetry systems for autonomous vehicles.

Key Research Publications:

  • Cheng, S.W., Garlan, D., & Schmerl, B. (2006). "Architecture-based self-adaptation in the presence of multiple objectives"

  • Cheng, S.W., & Garlan, D. (2007). "Handling uncertainty in autonomic systems"

Additional Information:

Dr. Afsoon Afzal smiling warmly, professionally dressed, standing in a modern workspace or conference setting, reflecting her leadership role in technology and robotics validation.Dr. Afsoon Afzal

Current Position: Technical Lead of Autonomy Validation
Employer: Zipline
Industry Sector: Tech/Aerospace Industry

Research Focus: Automated testing and validation of robotic and cyber-physical systems under the supervision of Dr. Claire Le Goues.

Career Path: After earning her PhD from Carnegie Mellon University in 2021, Afsoon joined Nuro as a Senior Software Engineer. At Nuro, she leveraged her doctoral research in automated testing methodologies, utilizing heuristic and machine learning techniques to validate autonomous vehicle systems in extensive simulation environments. In 2022, Afsoon transitioned to Zipline, where she currently serves as Technical Lead of Autonomy Validation. Her role involves spearheading critical validation and risk assessment strategies for autonomous drones, directly supporting Zipline's mission to deliver vital medical supplies to remote communities around the globe.

Key Research Publications:

  • Afzal, A., Le Goues, C., & Timperley, C.S. (2022). "Mithra: Anomaly Detection as an Oracle for Cyberphysical Systems"

  • Afzal, A., Motwani, M., Stolee, K.T., Brun, Y., & Le Goues, C. (2021). "SOSRepair: Expressive Semantic Search for Real-World Program Repair"

  • Afzal, A. (2021). "Automated Testing of Robotic and Cyberphysical Systems" (PhD Dissertation)

Additional Information:

jaspan-250x250.pngDr. Ciera Jaspan

Current Position: Staff Software Engineer and Tech Lead
Employer: Google
Industry Sector: Tech Industry

Research Focus: Static analysis and developer productivity tools under the supervision of Dr. Jonathan Aldrich.

Career Path: After completing her PhD in 2011, Ciera began her industry career at Google, joining the Tricorder team. She applied her expertise in static analysis to develop and improve tools used daily by thousands of Google engineers worldwide. Her outstanding contributions quickly led to increased responsibilities, and today she serves as Tech Lead of Google's Engineering Productivity Research Team. In this role, she leads innovative research to optimize developer productivity through improved code review systems, advanced version control mechanisms, and intuitive source browsing tools.

Key Research Publications:

  • Jaspan, C., & Aldrich, J. (2009). "Checking Framework Interactions with Relationships"
  • Jaspan, C., & Green, C. (2023). "Developer Productivity for Humans: A Human-Centered Approach to Developer Productivity"

Additional Information:

Ivan Ruchkin stands in a bright, modern hallway with white walls and large glass windows, creating a clean and professional atmosphere. He is dressed in a vivid red, short-sleeved polo shirt with a small black logo on the left chest area. The shirt's collar is upturned, and the top button is undone, revealing a thin necklace. His light brown hair is styled with a slight upward sweep. In the background, blurred figures of other people are walking, indicating a busy environmentDr. Ivan Ruchkin

Current Position: Assistant Professor
Employer: University of Florida
Industry Sector: Academia

Research Focus: Integration of modeling methods for cyber-physical systems under the supervision of Dr. David Garlan, focusing on effective integration of diverse models and analyses to ensure system correctness.

Career Path: Following his graduation in 2019, Ivan pursued postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania's PRECISE Center, concentrating on robust methods for analyzing cyber-physical systems with embedded machine learning components. He then joined the University of Florida as an Assistant Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, establishing the Trustworthy Engineered Autonomy (TEA) Lab. At UF, Ivan continues his innovative research, developing rigorous modeling, verification, and monitoring techniques to enhance the safety and reliability of autonomous and cyber-physical systems.

Key Research Publications:

  • Ruchkin, I., Sunshine, J., Iraci, G., Schmerl, B., & Garlan, D. (2018). "IPL: An Integration Property Language for Multi-Model Cyber-Physical Systems"

  • Ruchkin, I., de Niz, D., Chaki, S., & Garlan, D. (2014). "Contract-Based Integration of Cyber-Physical Analyses"

  • Ruchkin, I. (2019). "Integration of Modeling Methods for Cyber-Physical Systems" (PhD Dissertation)

Additional Information: