Dr. Antony Williams | Cheminformatics Awards | Outstanding Scientist Award

Dr. Antony Williams, US Environmental Protection Agency, United States

Dr. Antony John Williams is a distinguished scientist, cheminformatics expert, and advocate for open-access chemistry. Currently serving as a Cheminformatician at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, he has played a pivotal role in developing informatics solutions for chemical safety evaluation, including leading the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard project. Previously, he held leadership positions at the Royal Society of Chemistry and ChemSpider, where he contributed significantly to advancing cheminformatics and community engagement in open data initiatives. With a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of London and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Liverpool University, Dr. Williams has an extensive background in analytical chemistry, NMR spectroscopy, and software development. He has authored over 300 publications, delivered more than 850 conference presentations, and written multiple books on cheminformatics and NMR spectroscopy. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Microsoft eScience Jim Gray Award, Dr. Williams continues to drive innovation in chemical informatics, data accessibility, and scientific collaboration

Professional Profile:

ORCID

Summary of Suitability

Based on Antony J. Williams’ extensive contributions to cheminformatics, computational chemistry, and environmental toxicology, he is highly suitable for the Research for Outstanding Scientist Award. His career spans academia, industry, and government agencies, showcasing innovation in cheminformatics, data management, and spectroscopy.

Education 🎓

Ph.D. in Chemistry – University of London, UK (1988)
- Thesis: Applications of High Pressure NMR to the Studies of Alkyl Chains
B.Sc. Hons I in Chemistry – Liverpool University, UK (1985)
- Thesis: NMR Studies of Electron Exchange in Vitamin E Related Systems

Work Experience 💼

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – USA (2015-Present)

Cheminformatician, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure
Principal Investigator focused on cheminformatics and data access
Initiated and managed the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard for 6 years
Leads the development of 10 informatics prototypes for computational toxicology

Royal Society of Chemistry (2009-2015)

Vice-President of Strategic Development & Cheminformatics Manager
Managed cheminformatics projects, including Open PHACTS, PharmaSea, and the UK National Chemical Database Service

ChemZoo (2007-2009) 🧪

President of ChemZoo – Developed and managed ChemSpider, an Open Access chemistry data platform
Expanded ChemSpider to 81 million chemical structures and 90,000+ daily users

Advanced Chemistry Development (ACD/Labs) (1997-2007)

VP of Scientific Development and Chief Science Officer (2004-2007)
Led company growth, increasing revenue 10x
Managed sales, marketing, product management, and customer support

Eastman Kodak Company (1992-1997)

Managed a $3.2M laboratory budget and a team of 9 NMR spectroscopists
Co-designed a web-based Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)

University of Ottawa, Canada (1990-1992) 🎓

NMR Facility Director

National Research Council, Canada (1988-1990) 🏛️

Postdoctoral Fellow – Research on Single Crystal Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Awards & Honors 🏆

Scientific & Technological Achievement Award (STAA) Level III – EPA (2024)
OLEM Bronze Medal Award – CWA Hazardous Substance Planning Team (2023)
Office of Water Award for Science & Technology Achievement (2023)
National Honor Award for Collaborative Problem-Solving (2022)
EPA Gold Medal – National PFAS Testing Strategy Team (2021)
Microsoft eScience Jim Gray Award (2012) 🖥️
Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) (2009) 🔬
North Carolina ACS Distinguished Speaker Award (2016) 🎤
University of London Bourne Medal – Best Chemistry Thesis (1988) 🏅
Morris Ranger Undergraduate Scholarship (1983) 📖