Sir Alwyn Williams FRS FRSE MRIA FGS (8 June 1921 – 4 April 2004) was a Welsh geologist, who was Principal of the University of Glasgow from 1976 to 1988, and President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh from 1985 to 1988.
He was a keen sportsman in his youth, taking part in athletics and rugby, and had ambitions to join the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy,[2] although these were thwarted by a bout of tuberculosis in 1939, which confined him for a time to a sanitorium.
[3][4] In 1948, he was appointed Lecturer in Geology at the University of Glasgow, but postponed this position to complete a two-year Harkness Fellowship at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., working under leading brachiopod expert G. Arthur Cooper.
[1][5] Whilst at Belfast, Williams began focussing his research on brachiopods, introducing new techniques to study of the species, particularly transmission and scanning electron microscopy.
He introduced new teaching practices to the University, using modern technology, and established what is now one of the leading departments of Computing Science in the UK,[6] and is credited with improving the research rigour of the institution.
[5] Despite his heavy load of administrative duties as Principal, Williams continued his research, publishing twenty refereed papers and holding three NERC grants.