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Colonel
Scott E. Williams
Permanent Professor 2016–
B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.S., North Carolina State University
M.A., Naval War College
Ph.D., North Carolina State University
Scott Williams, the Academy’s 96th Permanent Professor, was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1969. He was commissioned in 1991 as an AFROTC graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics. After a brief course in Acquisition Fundamentals at Lowry AFB, CO, Scott was assigned to Los Angeles AFB, CA, 1992–1996. While there, he spent two years as a Mission Algorithm Branch Chief in the Follow-On Early Warning Systems Program Office, a year as an Education with Aerospace Corporation Exchange Officer, and a final year as the Orbital Operations Manager in the Military Satellite Communications Joint Program Office where he directed the launch and deployment of defense communication satellites. Scott was then selected for an Academy faculty position and sent to North Carolina State University, Raleigh, where he earned his Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics. He came to the Academy in December 1997 as an Instructor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, but was soon selected for an Academy-sponsored doctoral program and sent in July 1999 back to North Carolina State. His PhD in Applied Mathematics was awarded in 2003. Following his studies, Scott went in January 2003 to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to serve an intervening tour before returning to the Academy. While in Germany, he served as an Operations Analysis Branch Chief at the Warrior Preparation Center, where he stood-up the Air Force’s first “A9” (Operations Analysis Directorate) as part of the operational staff supporting Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. In 2004 Scott was tasked with formalizing the A9 role on the emergent standing operational staff (then AFEUR, now 13th Air Force) as the Deputy Director and acting Director of the Air Forces Europe A9 before being selected later in 2004 to serve as Chief Analyst in the US Air Forces Europe Commander’s Action Group. In 2006 he returned to the Academy as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, where he remained until 2010, serving as the Calculus Division Chief and, later, the Deputy Head for Academics. His primary emphasis was on pedagogical initiatives aimed at improving the learning focus, quality, and relevance of the mathematics curriculum. He also deployed in 2008 as Military Advisor to the fledgling National Military Academy of Afghanistan, Kabul. From 2010 to 2012 Scott was assigned as Deputy Commander of the 35th Mission Support Group, Misawa Air Base, Japan. While there, he led the base’s disaster response, recovery, and evacuation efforts during Operations Tomodachi and Pacific Passage following the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear reactor incident in northern Japan. He next went as a student to the US Naval War College, Newport, RI, where he graduated in 2013 with Highest Distinction and yet another degree: Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. He was then assigned as Chief Analyst and Director of Analyses, Assessments, and Development in the AF Studies, Analyses, and Assessments Directorate, the Pentagon, Washington, DC. In this dual-hatted role, he managed the 1,100-member Operations Research Analyst career field and led strategic assessments directly informing corporate Air Force strategic planning choices. In 2016 Scott was named a Permanent Professor and appointed Head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences.