Science Director: Richard S. Williams, Jr., Ph.D.
View a compehensive résumé (pdf).
Richard S. Williams, Jr. is an adjunct senior scientist at the Woods Hole Research Center. His other affiliations are emeritus senior research geologist at the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey; Vice Chairman Emeritus, Committee for Research and Exploration, National Geographic Society; and Director-Science, Geoscience Information Services. He has B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. degree from Pennsylvania State University, all in geology. He specializes in using airborne and satellite remote sensing technology to carry out investigations of dynamic geologic, glaciologic, and geomorphologic processes. Iceland is a special interest, where he and his Icelandic colleagues have been studying changes associated with volcanic activity and glacier fluctuations for more than 45 years. He is a strong proponent of cooperative international programs that use satellite image data to monitor changes globally on the Earth's surface that result from natural processes and/or human activities. His more than 300 papers, maps, books, chapters, and abstracts cover a wide range of topics, including remote sensing, geologic and glaciological hazards, glaciology of Iceland, global environmental change, planetary exploration, sea-level change, and natural and human history of the Earth (especially human impact on the Earth System). He is a member of the Cosmos Club and the Explorers Club, a fellow of the AAAS and the Geological Society of America, and a recipient of the Distinguished Service award by the U.S. Department of the Interior. He serves as a Trustee on the Board of the Leifur Eiríksson Foundation. Two glaciers in Antarctica are named for him: Williams Glacier and Williams Ice Stream.
One-page Biosketch (pdf).
Professional Recognition and Awards (pdf).

Education Director: Mary Ellen Williams, M.A.
Ms Williams is an outreach/education specialist who earned a B.A. degree in Spanish and received a Teacher's Certificate in Secondary Education from the University of Michigan, where she taught Spanish at the University of Michigan's Laboratory High School. She holds an M.A. degree in Latin American Studies from the Elliott School of Public and International Affairs, George Washington University. During her 21 years of service with the U.S. government in the U.S. Geological Survey, she was Assistant Historian, Office of the Director; Chief, International Hazards Section, Office of International Geology; Earthquake Hazards Coordinator (New England), Office of Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Engineering; Assistant to the Chief, Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP), and coordinating outreach activities and writing/editing the CMGP Newsletter. Prior to her government career, in addition to being the Administrative Assistant to the President, Reston Publishing Co., a subsidiary of Prentice-Hall Publishing Co. (P-H), she wrote jacket copy for more than 100 P-H books.

Affiliated Contract Staff:
Kirsten E. Healey, M.A., computer-graphics and desktop-publishing specialist. Ms Healey was the designer and page formatter for There's a Bear with a Pear! and other GIS publications.
Beth S. Williams, Ed.D., specializes in early-childhood education. Dr. Williams is currently employed in the PALS program, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia.
Tony K. Meunier, M.A., geographer, cartographer, photographer, and specialist on Antarctica. Mr. Meunier has more than 30 years of government service with the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Geological Survey, including wintering-over at South Pole Station.