2021 Engineering Leader Under 40: Michael Williams, 38

Engineer, Applied Control Engineering, Houston, TX, United States, BS Electrical Engineering, Lamar University

By CFE Media September 8, 2021
Michael Williams, 38, Engineer, Applied Control Engineering, Houston, TX, United States, BS Electrical Engineering, Lamar University

Michael Williams, 38
Engineer
Applied Control Engineering
Houston, TX, United States
BS Electrical Engineering, Lamar University

Why should this person be recognized for this award?

Mike has shown an eagerness to dive into projects and master the project by his understanding of the problem and developing solutions which are robust and well executed. The role of an engineer is to solve problems. To be outstanding in this endeavor one must actively listen and seek out solutions which go beyond the obvious to anticipate and prepare for eventualities not presented in the problem description. Michael has done this repeatedly as demonstrated by customers repeatedly requesting him on project teams.

Achievements, Advancement & Career-related Industry Contributions

Over the last 15 years, Michael has consistently completed all variety of projects presented to him. These projects have ranged from small PLCs to plant wide DCS systems, and spanned multiple industries including pharmaceutical, oil and gas, food and beverage, paper, and manufacturing. They have also traversed all manners of technologies such as Allen-Bradley, Siemens, and Modicon. Michael is also currently a TÜV Rheinland certified safety engineer and Siemens certified Factory Automation engineer.

Non-work-related Activities & Hobbies

Michael’s biggest hobby outside of work is exercising. Activities including weightlifting, biking, hiking, and swimming are all interests that help him decompress after a mentally taxing workday. It was also more important than ever this past year to try and keep active and healthy with the pandemic uprooting everyday life. Staying fit is a top priority in Michael’s life as one of his life goals is to break the cycle of obesity in his family and to be an active role model for his children.

Interesting Details

  • Traveling is also important to Michael. He and his family routinely travel each summer on vacation, but work has also provided an opportunity to see parts of the world he might not have seen otherwise including a two-month assignment in Italy and a one-month project in Ecuador.
  • Michael and his wife of 15 years have two sons who are competitive gymnasts. Their eldest earned the title of All-Around Champion for their six-state region this year, and his youngest brought home many medals this season as well.

Why did they choose this career?

The inner workings of how the world operates always intrigued Michael especially when it came to electronics. Those that grew up in the same timeframe as Michael really got to witness the world evolve electronically and he wanted to be a part of that evolution. Solving puzzles, both in game form and in real life situations, is what Michael naturally gravitated towards, so engineering was just a natural fit. Every project is a new puzzle to solve and there is always something new to learn. There is no true finish line so there is always a new challenge awaiting.

Original content can be found at Control Engineering.


Author Bio: Since its founding in 2010, CFE Media and Technology has provided engineers in manufacturing, commercial and industrial buildings, and manufacturing control systems with the knowledge they need to improve their operational efficiency. CFE delivers the right information at the right time around the world through a variety of platforms.