by Hillary Roman
Department Head Joe DeCarolis discusses how Engineering and Public Policy’s problem-driven approach is training the next generation to engineer for a better world.
For Joe DeCarolis, returning to Carnegie Mellon University as the head of the Department of Engineering and Public Policy (EPP) is more than just a homecoming. After serving as the presidentially-appointed administrator of the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), he has assumed leadership of the department where he earned his Ph.D., ensuring the next generation of engineers’ technical expertise meets the urgent demands of the real world. DeCarolis brings a unique perspective on how rigorous analysis translates into high-level policy influence. Rooted in its 50-year legacy, DeCarolis describes EPP as the essential bridge between cutting-edge research and critical decisions that shape our society.
You’ve balanced roles as an educator at NC State and as a Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed administrator of the Energy Information Administration (EIA). What pulled you back to academia and specifically CMU?
Joe DeCarolis: Serving as EIA Administrator was incredibly rewarding. It was a privilege to help shape the direction of an organization that I care deeply about.
