Biographical Information

Florence-Mary Williams (PhD Simon Fraser) is Director General of the Institute for Ocean Technology (IOT) of the National Research Council. Located in St. John's, Newfoundland, IOT develops technology to improve the performance and safety of ships and platforms operating in the harsh ocean environment. Mary Williams is responsible for research programs, large-scale experimental and computational facilities, and the transfer of technology to industrial partners. Earlier in her career, she was a Research Officer at IOT. Her engineering research explores the effects of ice on ships and offshore structures, and the material properties of ice in cold oceans. This work has involved many field trips and icebreaker expeditions to the Arctic, the Antarctic, and around Newfoundland, as well as physical model experiments in the world's largest ice tank. The results have appeared in numerous publications, and have been utilized by public and private sector clients. This rather offbeat career began with a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Simon Fraser University. Between appointments at IOT, Mary Williams was a professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial University. She now holds an honorary professorship at Memorial, lectures occasionally and supervises graduate students. At Memorial, she also held the NSERC/Petro-Canada Chair for Women in Science and Engineering. The activities of the Chair included teaching, outreach, and research in organizational behaviour. The results of this work continue to be delivered through a book and a series of workshops for scientists, engineers, and managers. The distinct paths of engineering and organizational dynamics converge in her present position as Director General at IOT.