Editing Dafydd Williams (section)

===NASA experience===
[[Image:NEEMO 9.jpg|thumbnail|right|The NEEMO 9 Crew: Left to right (rear): Dr. [[Timothy J. Broderick|Tim Broderick]], Williams; front: [[Nicole P. Stott|Nicole Stott]], [[Ron Garan]].]]

In January 1995, Williams was selected to join the 1995 international class of NASA mission specialist astronaut candidates. He reported to the [[Johnson Space Center]] in March 1995 and completed training and evaluation in May 1996. On completing basic training, he was assigned to work technical issues for the payloads/habitability branch of the astronaut office.

From July 1998 to November 2002, Williams served as Director of the Space and Life Sciences directorate with responsibility for research in both physical and biomedical space sciences at the [[Johnson Space Center]] (JSC). With this appointment, he became the first non-American to hold a senior management position within NASA.<ref name=NASA-bio/>

Overall crew medical safety was one of his principal concerns, in addition to flight medical operations and JSC occupational and [[environmental health]]. His programs were directed toward protecting astronauts from the hazards of the space environment, including space [[radiation]] and microgravity, in addition to maintaining their medical, physical, and psychological well-being while aloft and on return to [[Earth]]. His other oversight responsibilities were in the fields of [[telemedicine]], 3-D tissue culture/regeneration in microgravity, the curatorial management of [[extraterrestrial materials]], and of qualifying humans for very long space journeys and ensuring their safe return to Earth.

Williams served as an [[aquanaut]] on the first [[NEEMO]] (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) crew aboard the [[Aquarius (laboratory)|Aquarius]] [[Underwater habitat|underwater laboratory]] in October 2001.<ref name="AutoBio"/><ref name="history">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NEEMO/history.html|title=NEEMO History|access-date=September 23, 2011|publisher=[[NASA|National Aeronautics and Space Administration]]|date=March 21, 2006|author=NASA|archive-date=October 8, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061008171834/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NEEMO/history.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>  During this mission, he was thrilled to shake hands underwater with Canadian underwater explorer [[Joseph B. MacInnis|Joe MacInnis]].<ref name="Williams">{{cite web|url=http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/neemo/journal_williams.asp|title=CSA - Aquarius: Neemo Project - Dave Williams - Journal|last=Williams|first=Dave|date=October 22, 2001|publisher=[[Canadian Space Agency]]|access-date=December 27, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130101083950/http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/neemo/journal_williams.asp|archive-date=January 1, 2013}}</ref>  Williams was originally scheduled to command [[NEEMO#NEEMO 7: October 11–21, 2004|NEEMO 7]] in October 2004, but was replaced by back-up crewmember and fellow CSA astronaut [[Robert Thirsk]] due to Williams undergoing review of a temporary medical issue.<ref name="backup1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/neemo7/news_1004.asp|title=CSA - Astronaut Robert Thirsk to Replace Dave Williams for NEEMO 7|access-date=September 23, 2011|publisher=Canadian Space Agency|date=October 4, 2004|author=Canadian Space Agency|author-link=Canadian Space Agency|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824050443/http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/neemo7/news_1004.asp|archive-date=August 24, 2011}}</ref><ref name="backup2">{{Cite web|url=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0410/09thirsk/|title=Thirsk replaces Williams as NEEMO 7 commander|access-date=September 23, 2011|publisher=Spaceflight Now Inc.|date=October 9, 2004|author=NASA}}</ref>  In April 2006, Williams commanded the [[NEEMO#NEEMO 9: April 3–20, 2006|NEEMO 9]] mission.  During this eighteen-day mission, the six-person crew developed [[lunar surface]] exploration procedures and telemedical technology applications.<ref name="AutoBio"/><ref name="nine">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NEEMO/NEEMO9/index.html|title=NASA's Undersea Crew is Heads Above Water|access-date=September 23, 2011|publisher=NASA|year=2006|author=NASA}}</ref>

[[Image:Dave Williams Neurolab test.jpg|thumbnail|left|Williams undergoing a [[Pulmonary function testing|pulmonary function test]] during the Neurolab mission]]