About
Keith Williams is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). He also serves as the Clark Scholars Faculty Director and has held a visiting professorship at UVa since 2012. Previously, he was a Program Manager and division CTO at Leidos (formerly SAIC), working on materials and corrosion technologies at the Naval Research Laboratory. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. in materials physics from Penn State (2001), postdoctoral research at Delft University of Technology (Netherlands), and earlier studies at the University of Kentucky and Ruprecht-Karls University in Heidelberg, Germany.
Williams' research focuses on nanophysics, nanoelectronics, and carbon nanotubes, with notable contributions to their functionalization, device applications, and fundamental properties. He is deeply involved in educational innovation, including developing maker-style introductory engineering curricula and implementing embedded academic advising to support student career development. His NSF-funded project, "We're Not in Kansas Anymore," integrates nanoscience education with hands-on experimentation.
His teaching spans diverse subjects from nanophysics (ECE 407/PHYS 582) and microelectronics fabrication (ECE 5150) to interdisciplinary courses like STS 2500 (American Politics of Science) and INST 263 (Photography). Williams emphasizes experiential learning and has pioneered the use of CAD, 3D printing, and prototyping in engineering education (ENGR 1620).
Notable grants include the NSF Nanoscience Undergraduate Education (NUE) Grant 0532515, which supported collaborative nanotechnology education initiatives. His scientific work has generated over 50 peer-reviewed articles, with key contributions to carbon nanotube field-effect transistors, fullerene characterization, and biomolecule-nanotube interactions. Williams maintains active collaborations across academia and industry, balancing research excellence with impactful pedagogy.
