Biography
Keith Seffen is a Professor of Engineering Mechanics at Cambridge University Engineering Department (CUED), where he is a member of the Civil Engineering Division (Division D), head of the Structures Group of academic staff, founder of the Advanced Structures Group Laboratory, and Deputy Head of Civil Engineering for Graduate Studies. He is an Official Fellow of Corpus Christi College, where he has been Director of Studies, undergraduate Tutor, postgraduate Tutor, Acting Tutor for Advanced Students, Deputy Senior Tutor and Acting Senior Tutor for the undergraduate cohort. Previously, he was Lecturer in Smart Structures and Materials in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UMIST (1999-2001, now part of the University of Manchester) and Research Associate in the Engineering Design Centre at CUED (1997-1999). His PhD (1993-1997) on novel deployable structures technology was performed under the supervision of Prof. Pellegrino. Keith Seffen read the Engineering Tripos at Cambridge University (1990-1993) and gained a first class degree. He was born, bred and educated in Northern Ireland.
Research
Professor Seffen's research mostly considers how to make structures change shape in dramatic ways without causing failure. Such "reconfigurability" underpins many shape-changing processes in Nature, such as growth, and can provide novel properties in Engineering structures.
Publications
Teaching and Supervisions
Professor Seffen lectures, supervises and demonstrates in all Tripos parts.
Other Professional Activities
Member of the Institute of Maths and its Applications (IMA); former member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).
