Skip to main content

Ellen Williams

I was fortunate to enter science at a time of transition -- the generations of women before me had to succeed in a world that agreed that women did not belong in science. Many of them were my role models and remain my heroes. At Maryland, I found opportunities to pursue public service as well as research and teaching. I am proud to have worked in the Obama administration as the first woman director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy.

2020
First woman to serve as director of Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
Distinguished University Professor
Department of Physics
College of Computer, Mathematical & Natural Sciences