Christopher Williams, the L.S. Randolph Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded the Freeform and Additive Manufacturing Excellence (FAME) Award  from the International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium. Williams will be recognized in a ceremony at the symposium on August 4, 2026.

According to the group, the FAME Award is given annually to recognize an outstanding researcher in the field of freeform/additive fabrication. One award recipient is chosen each year in both a junior and senior category, with a winner being chosen by a committee. Williams won the junior version of the award in 2012 and is the first person to have won both the junior and senior awards.

Williams is distinguished as a global leader in the field of advanced manufacturing, leading groundbreaking efforts in the field during his time at Virginia Tech. His publication work also reflects this reputation, earning more than 14,000 citations since 2021, according to Google Scholar.

Williams is currently the director of the Virginia Tech made, a campus-wide collaborative center bridging all topics related to advanced manufacturing. More than 80 faculty are engaged in the work represented by this center, creating one of the largest concerted areas of focus in Virginia Tech history.

Williams has also played a critical role in training students in advanced manufacturing, advising numerous master’s and doctoral students during his time in academia. He is also a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors.