The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) has named Dr. Jeritt Williams, assistant professor of engineering technology at Illinois State University as the winner of the 2025 A3 Educator of the Year award.
Williams leads Illinois State University’s Caterpillar Integrated Manufacturing Laboratory, which serves as an Industry 4.0 model with industrial robots and cobots, machine vision systems, conveyors, production and digital twin capabilities and more. A3 says Williams was selected for the award due to his focus on hands-on learning and the support he provides for his students.
“Being named the 2025 A3 Educator of the Year is a truly meaningful distinction for me,” Williams says. “It serves as both a much-appreciated acknowledgment that educators who embrace hands-on, authentic practices are valued and respected, and it celebrates an important point of achievement in a longer journey that would not have been possible without the many incredible educators, mentors, students and friends who have inspired, encouraged, supported and challenged me along the way. I strive to give back and pay it forward for the next generation. My deepest gratitude to the Association for Advancing Automation for this great honor!”
The A3 Educator of the Year Award is sponsored by Siemens and seeks to honor individuals who have demonstrated dedication to shaping the next generation of professionals in automation through teaching. It recognizes secondary and postsecondary educators who demonstrate innovation in teaching methods, commitment to personal and professional growth, the ability to motivate and inspire students and a mastery of their subject matter.
Williams began his career in manufacturing and logistics, where he programmed CNC machines with robot loading systems. He eventually moved into industrial training and became a high school shop teacher. He taught pre-engineering classes at the middle school and high school levels, covering automation and robotics, energy and power systems, advanced manufacturing and engineering design before joining Illinois State University full-time. There, he teaches courses in mechatronics fundamentals, programmable logic controllers, industrial robotics and manufacturing systems integration.
