William M. Nelson is an organic chemist who has been involved in green chemistry since 1995. Growing up within a military family, he has been able to see many parts of the world, which heightened his commitment to preserving the natural environment and promoting sustainability through chemistry. He earned his doctorate in organic chemistry from The Johns Hopkins University, during which time he studied the synthesis and photobiology of analogs of the environmental carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene. Dr. Nelson has worked in industry as a research chemist, in government (with both the Illinois EPA and US EPA), in environmental protection and pollution prevention, and in education (teaching and directing research). He was a Research Physical Scientist in the Environmental Chemistry Branch of the Environmental Laboratory at Engineering Research and Development Center (ERDC) for the US Army Corps of Engineers, where his work involves organic synthesis and photochemistry.