Williams named University of Alabama in Huntsville president

	David B. Williams

David B. Williams, the Harold Chambers Senior Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, has been named the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s (UAH) fifth president.
Williams served as Lehigh’s vice provost for research for seven years. He will succeed Dr. Frank Franz, who will step down at the end of the spring 2007 semester.
Williams was appointed following a yearlong, competitive nationwide search of more than 200 applicants.
“It is a great honor to serve as the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s next president,” says Williams, who officially assumes his new role on July 1. “I am impressed by the wonderful faculty, staff and students and the people in the surrounding Huntsville area and look forward to becoming a member of this large, warm campus community.”
Williams, with more than 30 years of distinguished service at Lehigh, was chair of the department of the materials science and engineering in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science prior to his tenure as Vice Provost for Research.
Dave is a talented scholar and leader, says Alice P. Gast, president of Lehigh University. His leadership in the areas of research, innovation, and creating strong partnerships will serve the University of Alabama Huntsville well, both on and off campus. We wish him the very best.
Under his leadership, the research enterprise at Lehigh has seen great progress, with research revenues growing from $28.5 million in 2000 to $48.1 million in 2005.
“I have known and worked with Dave for more than 30 years, and clearly the University of Alabama in Huntsville has chosen a superb leader and a renowned scholar,” says Mohamed El-Aasser, Lehigh University provost. “I will miss him and his wife, Margaret, and wish them both the best of luck in their new roles.”
--Sarah Cooke