Spotlight in SWE
This segment seeks to spotlight a member of Yale SWE community and share their story.
This week, we are thrilled to introduce you to Dr Serrae Lingenfelter. Serrae graduated from Yale with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science in 2023. She is currently a Display Engineer at Apple, working on the Watch product line. From researching semiconducting nanomaterials to leading cross-functional teams at Apple, Serrae has always followed her love of problem-solving. Read more about how she also found community and mentorship through SWE, serving as our Outreach Chair and creating some of her fondest memories at Yale.
Why were you drawn to engineering?
I have always loved problem solving. As a kid, I wanted to understand how devices and systems worked. And now, as an adult, I get to do that every day.
What is your research topic and what has your experience been like in your current position?
I studied semiconducting nano-materials for my PhD work. My work involved materials synthesis, device fabrication, and device characterization. I had the opportunity to work with physicists, materials scientists, and chemists. Ultimately, we defined a new methodology to quantify molecular doping. Our efforts will go towards developing the next generation of ultra-thin transistor devices.
At Apple, I manage the failure analysis for a large cross-functional team. The skills I gained in my PhD (defining a problem, testing hypotheses, working with diverse collaborators, presenting findings), have all been extremely useful on the job. Nearly everyone I work with has a PhD, and it is so fun to work with so many talented and driven engineers.
What role has SWE had in your path?
SWE was the most amazing community for the time I was at Yale. I got invaluable mentorship, and I also found a supportive “home base” for those years. I served as the Outreach Chair. Some of my fondest moments at Yale were executing the event ideas that our team came up with.
What advice would you give younger women engineers?
I think a lot of women engineers set out to do the hardest things possible, in order to prove we can do them. I’m learning that it’s probably more important to do the most interesting thing to you, even if it is not the “hardest”. That takes courage and self-awareness, though. Many of my friends are in this same season of self-discovery. I’m just now discovering the types of work I really love to do, and I only wish I had started this process sooner! One great book to get ahead of this is “What Color is Your Parachute” by Richard N. Bolles. It has a series of self-reflection exercises that will help you find out what transferrable skills you have, and which do you love using the most.
We believe stories of women engineers from all career stages are important!
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