Dr. Stacie Williams, a Senior-Level Executive, is the Chief Science Officer of the United States Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. She serves as the central lead for all science and technology matters for an organization that comprises approximately 14,000 space professionals worldwide. In this role, she develops long-term military requirements for the USSF and interacts with other principals, operational commanders, combatant commands, acquisition organizations, and international communities to address cross-organizational science and technical issues and solutions. Dr. Williams represents the USSF science and technology community across the U.S. government, industry, academia, the international community, and other scientific and technology organizations.
Dr. Williams joins Headquarters, USSF from the Air Force Research Laboratory, where she was the space science architect for the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. At AFOSR, Dr. Williams led the basic research investment strategy for space, ensuring that basic science investments effectively met USSF mission needs. In prior assignments, she led AFOSR's remote sensing research portfolio and AFRL's space imaging portfolio. Dr. Williams served as a program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency Tactical Technology office, where she led a portfolio focusing on remote sensing, small satellite technologies, and high-energy laser detection.
Dr. Williams entered government service in 2011 at AFRL's Directed Energy Directorate and spent several years as the technical advisor at the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing site, leading researchers and operators in developing and transitioning the world's only 24-hour resolved imaging capability, in addition to other space domain awareness technologies.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Chemistry University of Arkansas, Little Rock
1993 Doctorate of Philosophy, Physical Chemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1994–1996, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M.
2. 1996–1998, Research Faculty, Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Mass.
3. 1998–2004, Secondary Science Educator, Department of Education, Boston, Mass.
4. 2004–2010, Faculty, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio
5. 2011–2014, Program Manager, Directed Energy Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
6. 2014–2016, Technical Advisor, Directed Energy Directorate, AFRL, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
7. 2016–2019, Program Officer, Remote Sensing, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Va.
8. 2019–2021, Program Manager, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va.
9. 2021–2024, Space Science Architect, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Va.
10. 2024–present, Chief Science Officer, United States Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
2024 Awarded Air Force Office of Scientific Research Directors Cup, Outstanding Year-Long Achievement
2023 Air Force Research Laboratory Fellow, Recognized for Leadership and Technology Transition
2020 Fellow of Optical Society of America, Recognized for Technical Leadership and Outreach
2014 Directed Energy Director’s Annual Sparks Award
2013 National Federal Laboratory Consortium Technology Transfer and STEM Mentorship Award
(Current as of November 2024)