Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

Chris Williams, a new faculty member in the geotechnical and materials engineering division, began downhill skiing as a child in Vermont at Cochran’s Ski Area, owned by the legendary “Skiing Cochrans.” His coach was world champion Marilyn Cochran.

He began running cross-country in junior high, transitioned to cross-country (Nordic) skiing in high school and continued both in college.

People Make the Difference

Through both cross-country sports, Williams learned intense focus and endurance. Because teams earn points based on the results of individual events, he also learned that winning his individual event wasn’t enough. He needed a strong team around him to win competitions.

His University of Vermont skiing team won NCAA championships in 1989 and 1990. “We pushed each other really hard in practice. There’s a certain amount of excitement when you know you are part of something special, which pushes you even more,” Williams says.

In 1990, he saw even more clearly how people affect each other when he came down with a serious case of mononucleosis. It took months to recover, and he was supposed to keep off his feet for a whole year (he didn’t and became sick again several months later).

While he was ill, his running team won the eastern conference championship. On the way home, they stopped at a pay phone and called him.

“They told me they were thinking of me before, during, and after the competition,” he says. “It really meant a lot to me. This is the type of chemistry that breeds success.”

He realized during his illness that his sports career was coming to a close. He gave up his Olympic dream (he had placed in the top 20 in the 1988 Olympic Nordic skiing tryouts) and turned his full energy to civil engineering (he researches asphalt).

Success Still Requires Team

Whether recruiting undergraduate students, graduate researchers, or industry partners, Williams understands that success still requires a strong team.

“What drives advances? People. If you can increase the number and quality of people entering the field, great things will happen,” Williams says.