Dr. Dwight L. Williams, Ph.D., P.E.

How to determine whether you are successful and maximize your
success

Some people look at Dwight’s credentials and say that he is successful. Well, is he
successful? It depends on his goal. If his life’s goal is to be an accomplished nuclear
engineer, then the answer is yes. But if his goal is to be a gymnast, a carpenter, or a
baker, then so far, he has not been especially successful. Success depends on what
your goals are. If you are able to accurately determine what you want to do with
your life, then you stand a much better chance of setting and successfully achieving
satisfying goals.

How to write a resume

In today’s professional world, there are many acceptable resume styles. Which
style of resume is best for you? How can you use your resume to make sure that
you put your best foot forward and minimize your deficiencies? What is the
purpose of a resume anyway? Dwight has been told that he has a very powerful
resume. Nowadays, because of Dwight’s strong technical and professional
background, he focuses his attention on subtleties and nuances that can guide the
reader’s attention, but this has not always been the case. Earlier in his career, he had
to use “tricks of the trade” to minimize the impact of his deficiencies. In large
settings, Dwight can use his resume as an example for students so they can learn
how to develop/adjust theirs according to their strengths. In smaller settings, he can
work with “volunteers from the audience” to help them optimize their resumes as
examples for their peers.

How to succeed as an engineer in the workplace

In only a decade, Dwight has risen to the top of the engineering field. As a Chief
Engineer/Principal Nuclear Physicist within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD),
he has reached the highest level that can be attained as a DoD nuclear engineer. How
did Dwight navigate his way to the top so quickly? Was he lucky? Is he smarter
than his peers? Is faithfulness and hard work enough to propel you to the top?
How can you get a head start on your path of professional success? During this
session, Dwight addresses principles that he has found instrumental to his
professional success to date. Dwight also uses situations that he has experienced
and witnessed as examples constructive and counterproductive behaviors.

How to succeed as a minority in the workplace

Of course, prejudice can be found in nearly all areas of life. For example, short
people may experience prejudice as recreational basketball teams are being selected
-- even though some of the best ball handlers and shooters are short. Although some
prejudice is meant with malicious intent, sometimes it is the result of people
gravitating towards what is familiar to them. In the workplace, Dwight has
knowingly experienced intentional prejudice only on rare occasions. However, some
of his peers believe that they have experienced prejudice more frequently. Why
might some minorities experience more prejudice than others in the workplace?
How can you minimize that amount of prejudice that you experience in the
workplace? How do you respond when you have experienced prejudice? Learning
how to deal with real and perceived prejudice can be instrumental to your success in
the workplace.

How to present yourself in a way that facilitates others investing
in you

Dwight attributes much of his success to others who have invested in him. He
acknowledges that many of his opportunities for success and the skills to take
advantage of those opportunities are the direct result of advanced professionals who
have mentored him. Dwight has witnessed some of his peers that have struggled to
succeed because they did not have mentors. What can you do to help others to be
more willing to invest in you? Where can you go to look for a mentor?

How to get the possession arrow

In college basketball, the possession arrow determines which team gains possession
of the ball when the official cannot tell. In the work environment, situations will
arise when an arbiter cannot determine who is correct. Dwight uses principles based
upon his experiences as a student and professional and situations that he has
observed to explain how you can maximize the number of times you are found to be
correct when an arbiter cannot tell.

How to determine and make best use of your most natural
learning style

All students absorb information in different ways. While one student may learn
better by reading classroom materials, another student may learn by working
examples. Some students learn best by learning foundational information and
manipulating that information into complex conclusions. On the other hand, some
students understand information better if they are presented with the complex
conclusion first and then are taught the foundational elements in light of the overall
conclusion. In this session, Dwight helps students to determine and make use of
their most natural learning styles. As a result, students will be able to learn
information more quickly and with less effort, and have greater retention.

Dwight’s best semester as an undergraduate at North Carolina
State University (NCSU)

During Dwight’s four years as an undergraduate at NCSU, his grade point average
ranged from 2.2 to 3.7 on a 4.0 scale. In this session, Dwight reveals a copy of his
grade report and asks the students in attendance which semesters they think he
would list as his top three semesters and his overall best semester as an
undergraduate. During his best semester, he learned more than he did during any
other semester. But the semester that he identifies as his best semester may
surprise you!