Dr. Susan Finger

Biography

Susan Finger is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. She is affiliated with both the School of Architecture and the Engineering Research Accelerator. A dedicated educator, she has served as the Associate Dean for the Integrative Design, Arts & Technology Network (IDeATe), where she focuses on enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration in education. Professor Finger's research investigates how students learn through collaborative projects, emphasizing the impact of social ties among teammates on project outcomes. She has explored how the exchange of documents and messages among team members influences the design process. Finger's research interests highlight her commitment to understanding the intersection of culture, technology, and education. She earned her B.A. in Astronomy and M.A. in Operations Research from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a Ph.D. in Electric Power Systems in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has also held significant roles, such as Program Director for Design Theory and Methodology at the National Science Foundation, and was instrumental in founding and serving as co-editor-in-chief for the journal 'Research in Engineering Design.'

Research Interests