Christopher Williams, associate professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering and director of the Virginia Tech Design, Research, and Education for Additive Manufacturing Systems Laboratory, has been awarded the John R. Jones III Faculty Fellowship in Mechanical Engineering by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The Jones Faculty Fellowship was established in 2006 to acknowledge and reward mid-career faculty who have shown exceptional merit in research, teaching, and/or service. Jones, a member of the Class of 1967 who earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, is a retired executive of American Electric Power. He has been a member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board since 1998.

Recipients hold the title of Jones Faculty Fellow for a period of five years.

A member of the Virginia Tech faculty since 2007, Williams has an exceptional research record focused on advancing the field of 3-D  printing, also known as additive manufacturing. He has been instrumental in integrating 3-D printing into the College of Engineering curriculum through mentoring senior capstone design projects in product design, and by teaching courses on 3-D printing open to both undergraduate and graduate students.

In 2014, Williams was named the W.S. "Pete" White Chair for Innovation in Engineering Education and associate director of the Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute.

Along with his graduate students, Williams received the Outstanding Paper Award, Rapid Prototyping Journal and the Best Paper Award, ASME IDETC 19th Design for Manufacturing and the Life Cycle Conference in 2014. In 2013, he was awarded the extremely competitive and prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER award.

Williams received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Georgia Tech.

Related links

Mechanical engineers win first America Makes Innovation Sprint

Christopher Williams receives Electro-Mechanical Corporation Senior Faculty Fellowship

University launching second 3-D printed vehicle design competition

Share this story