Tom Williams, associate professor of computer science and director of the of the Interactive Robotics Research Lab (MIRRORLab), has been selected as one of two recipients of the 2026 Computing Research Association Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentoring Award from the CRA Education Committee.
The award celebrates individual faculty members who go above and beyond in providing exceptional research experiences and advising that enable undergraduate students to succeed and pursue advanced studies in computing. Winners are chosen for their demonstrated commitment to fostering student growth, facilitating meaningful research participation, and supporting students through key academic and professional transitions.
“This award recognizes the amazing undergraduate research culture we've cultivated in the MIRRORLab, and highlights the unique drive, rigor, and creativity of Mines undergraduates,” Williams said. “This can be observed in the breadth of projects undergrads have led in my lab, from social robotics and augmented reality to mushroom cognition and poetry-centered AI education.”
In her nomination letter, Iris Bahar, department head and professor in computer science, commended Williams for his comprehensive and far-reaching undergraduate mentoring activities.
“His boundless energy, talent, research productivity, and exceptional student mentoring abilities were evident soon after he joined the faculty at Mines eight years ago (in Fall 2017), and they continue unabated to this day,” Bahar wrote. “At the MIRRORLab, Tom attracts and empowers robust student research teams to develop intelligent agents designed to interact naturally with human teammates by combining computational methods and insights from AI, cognitive science, and human-robot interaction (HRI).”
In addition to this award, Williams is the winner of Early Career awards from the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and NASA. At Mines, he has also been recognized with the Faculty Excellence Award, Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, and the W. M. Keck Undergraduate Mentoring Award.
About Mines
Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, producing the talent, knowledge and innovations to serve industry and benefit society – all to create a more prosperous future.
