Although Byron Williams bleeds true maroon, it was more than his love of being a Bulldog that led him to pursue his graduate degrees in computer science and engineering at Mississippi State.
Williams' academic story includes an element of romance. After finishing his undergraduate degree, it was also his love for a young woman who was in graduate school that motivated him to keep going as well. Now Byron and Lakiesha Williams are both part of the faculty, excelling in their own rights as assistant professors for two different departments within the Bagley College of Engineering.
Byron returned to the university as a new faculty member in 2011 after spending two years at the Center for Defense Integrated Data. His wife already was a faculty member in biomedical engineering.
"After being here so long, I have a lot of memories of being a student. It's interesting sitting on this side of the desk and having students coming to see me," Williams said.
In addition to teaching, Williams is putting much of his energy into research. His areas of interest include software architecture, security and engineering. His research entails looking at historical data sets to investigate how to better maintain software systems and look for potential software vulnerabilities and defects.
Williams says Mississippi State was not only the perfect place to attend college, but his alma mater is a great place to pursue his professional interests in an environment he feels also will provide a good future for his family. He and his wife are currently planning to build a house and preparing to welcome their first child soon.
As a young faculty member, Williams is enjoying the role.
"I love being able to work with and mentor the students because of the great ideas they have and the energy that they bring," he said.
Earlier this year, Williams was among 12 university faculty members nationwide listed in Diverse: Issues In Higher Education Magazine's Emerging Scholars list. Williams was not only recognized for his achievements, but also for his desire to mentor other young minorities who are entering his field.