Contact: Robbie Ward
Photo by: Megan Bean
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A Mississippi State research assistant professor of biomedical engineering is being called a "rising star" by Women of Color magazine and IBM Corp.
Lakiesha N. Williams recently was notified of the honor by the Baltimore, Md.-based publication that focuses on business and technology issues for professional women. She and others in this year's group will be recognized formally at the 2008 Women of Color Technology Awards Conference.
IBM is a sponsor of the conference, which takes place in October in Dallas, Texas.
Williams, a faculty member in the university's agricultural and biological engineering department, is a specialist on the hierarchical nature of biological tissues from nanoscale to microscale levels. In addition to academic work, she coordinates a monthly campus "Women of Color in Engineering" roundtable for the Bagley College of Engineering.
Department head Bill Batchelor expressed high praise for Williams' dedication as both a researcher and role model.
"Her research in quantifying the impact of vehicle crashes on brain tissue strongly supports the automotive vehicle research at MSU," Batchelor said. "She is highly deserving of this national award."
Williams completed a doctorate in biomedical engineering from MSU in 2006. She earlier received bachelor's and master's degrees in the major from Louisiana State University.
NEWS EDITOR/DIRECTORS: For more information, contact Dr. Williams at 662-325-0205 or lwilliams@abe.msstate.edu.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.