Position Title
Member, Physics Advisory Board
A nuclear trained submariner, Admiral Melvin Williams Jr. brings 32 years of experience as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy to the UC Davis Physics Advisory Board. Since his retirement in 2010, Admiral Williams served for three years as the associate provost for military and veterans affairs at George Washington University. Prior to this appointment, he served two years as the associate deputy secretary of energy, the presidential appointee responsible for day-to-day management and operational excellence at the United States Department of Energy.
Admiral Williams has received various awards of recognition, including the 2015 University Award at George Washington University; the United States Department of Energy Outstanding Service Award; the Black Engineer of the Year Award for Professional Achievement as well as induction into the STEM Hall of Fame in 2011; the National Society of Black Engineers Award for Lifetime Achievement in Government; and the Thurgood Marshall Award for Service and Leadership.
Admiral Williams graduated with merit from the United States Naval Academy with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. He holds a Master of Science in engineering from the Catholic University of America, and attended Harvard University’s JFK School of Government.