Benjamin Williams

Benjamin Williams is a Professor and future Chair (effective July 1, 2025) of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering. He has been with UCLA since 2007, serving as Vice Chair for Graduate Studies (2023–2025) and Chair of the Faculty Executive Committee (2015–2017).

Education:

• Bachelor’s in Physics from Haverford College
• Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT

Williams specializes in lasers and photonic devices operating at very high frequencies and long wavelengths. His work focuses on the physics and development of novel semiconductor devices, particularly quantum-cascade lasers based on engineered quantum-electronic and electromagnetic metamaterials. He leads the Terahertz and Infrared Photonics Group and is affiliated with the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA.

Scientific Awards:

• Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Young Faculty Award
• National Science Foundation CAREER award
• American Physical Society Apker Award (undergraduate research)

He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses and has advised more than a dozen UCLA doctoral students. His research bridges advanced materials and optoelectronics, with applications in sensing and imaging technologies.