Mujan Seif, University of Kentucky materials engineering doctoral student and 2017 materials engineering graduate, has received the Society of Women Engineers 2019 Outstanding Collegiate Member. According to the guidelines for the award, "The ideal candidate will be a collegiate member who has made an outstanding contribution to SWE, the engineering community, and his or her campus.” SWE recognized Seif for, "creative, effective leadership and service to her program; for dedication to both research and teaching; and for serving as a confident and uplifting presence within SWE.” Only ten collegiate members receive the award annually.
In 2018, Seif was appointed graduate program coordinator for GradSWE. Because SWE has been most influential with female industry professionals and undergraduate students, the national office and Mujan recognized a critical need for outreach to female graduate students. Shortly after her appointment, Seif initiated a GradSWE group at UK.
Seif’s doctoral research involves studying the surfaces of specific kinds of thermionic cathodes, provides collaborative opportunities with industry partners and experimental researchers.