Photos: Google security team at work, play

On a visit to China's Beihang University College of Software last year, Merrill was awarded this certificate.

Merrill graduated from the University of Tulsa, majoring in social and political organization. He also earned a masters and a doctorate from Princeton University in psychology. Professionally, Merrill's first encounter with security was at Rand, a think tank where clients included U.S. national intelligence agencies.

Photo by Joris Evers/CNET News.com