Melvin G. Williams, Jr. served for 33 years in the U.S. Navy, commanding U.S. Second Fleet and various ships in Operations Enduring Freedom and Desert Storm. From 2011-2013, Williams was the Associate Deputy Secretary of Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. Transitioning to academia, he was Associate Dean of Engineering at the Catholic University of America, the Nuclear Research Consultant at University of California – Davis, and Associate Provost at the George Washington University. He earned a B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy and an M.S. from the Catholic University of America. His co-authored book Navigating the Seven Seas has been included in the Navy Reading Program since 2012.