[2] She completed her post-doctoral studies at the San Diego Zoological Society and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
[3] Williams was originally interested in medicine but decided to pursue degrees in exercise physiology upon realization that animals were capable of “extraordinary feats of athleticism and disease resistance” compared to humans.
[4] In addition to seals, Williams has studied both the diving physiology of both dolphins and narwhals, using sensors to measure the animals' heart rate, depth, and acceleration.
[2] Bob Kustra praised the book for the insight it provided into the rescue efforts for a young seal.
[8] After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams explored the connections between COVID's effects on people and the "many physiological adaptations that have enabled marine mammals to tolerate low oxygen levels during dives".