Materials science and engineering professor receives Regents Award for Faculty Excellence and Margaret Ellen White Graduate Faculty Award.
Mufit Akinc was recently recognized by his peers and graduate students with two prominent awards.
During Iowa State’s University Awards Ceremony held on September 22, 2014, Akinc received the Regents Award for Faculty Excellence that is given to outstanding university faculty with distinction in teaching, research, professional practice or service.
“I am honored and humbled for receiving this award as it is one of the most prestigious awards for a faculty member at ISU,” he said. “It is especially gratifying that a recipient is deemed to have demonstrated outstanding university citizenship, because I have tried to serve the university the best I could over three decades.”
Akinc also received the Margaret Ellen White Graduate Faculty Award, which is awarded by graduate students to show appreciation to those who give guidance and encouragement.
“This award is extremely meaningful to me as it is nominated by my current and past graduate students. I am very lucky and grateful to have many outstanding students over the years,” he said.
Akinc joined Iowa State faculty in 1981 and served as interim college of engineering dean in 2012. He also works as a senior ceramic engineer at the United States Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory and served as materials science curriculum chair at the National Technological University for five years.
He has written more than 140 papers and published seven patents. Akinc has also been a consultant to the United Nations three times to as government assistant to Korea and Turkey.