How can we change the face of academia by how we educate the future engineer?

Hoping to spark reflection and dialogue about how we can collectively shift perspectives, she will invite her audience to consider teaching techniques that shape a more inclusive future. 

To this end, she will share her approach to inspiring the next generation of engineers – starting as early as age five – through approaches she has developed to bring the “design-and-make” joy of engineering to life. These methods aim not only to excite young minds, but to open doors for those historically underrepresented in the field. 

She will also explore how university teaching, across disciplines, can be a vehicle for recognition, progression and meaningful societal change – and consider how educators can make higher education more relevant, responsive and reflective of our multicultural, multiracial, and multifaceted world. 

Ultimately, her lecture is about using engineering education to change lives, empower students, advance academics and create a more equitable society. 

Professor Sheryl Williams is a transformative figure in engineering education and a champion of inclusive academic practice. She joined the University in 2002 as a Doctoral Researcher with CREST, having previously studied at the University of the West Indies and University of Dalarna. She has subsequently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to equity, innovation and excellence. 

Professor Williams stands at the vanguard of pedagogic innovation in engineering. She has reshaped the ways technology can be leveraged to democratise education, making it more accessible, inclusive and reflective of the societies it serves. Her pioneering approaches are now adopted worldwide – redefining what it means to teach, inspire and lead in engineering. 

Her dedication extends beyond the boundaries of academia. She has inspired thousands of young minds through dynamic outreach initiatives, including online mathematics programmes, and consistently championed the student experience.  

A recent initiative, the Inclusive Engineering Excellence Hub – co-led with colleagues and co-created with students – has been recognised and funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering as a model for transformative change in the sector. 

She co-chairs the Black Female Academics’ Network – an international body dedicated to advancing the visibility, leadership and scholarly excellence of Black females in higher education. In 2023, she became the University’s inaugural Professor of Engineering Education Technology, a landmark appointment reflecting her outstanding contribution and the esteem in which she is held.