William David Evans, Baron Energlyn (25 December 1912 – 27 June 1985) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

geologist who became a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

. Evans attended Caerphilly Grammar School and then University College Cardiff, before working for the Geological Survey of Great Britain. In 1945, he joined the Regional Survey Board of Ministry of Fuel and Power for the South Wales Coalfield, then in 1947 he became a lecturer at the

University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...

. In 1949, he moved to the University of Nottingham, becoming dean of the faculty of pure science, and then professor of geology. Evans discovered vitricin, an

antibiotic An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention of ...

which could be obtained from coal, and developed several new geological techniques, including pyrochromotography,

photogrammetry Photogrammetry is the science and technology of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring and interpreting photographic images and patterns of electromagnetic radiant ima ...

, and membrane colorimetry. He published a number of books on geology, and also studied diseases caused by coal dust. On 10 July 1968, Evans was created a

as Baron Energlyn, ''of

Caerphilly Caerphilly (, ; cy, Caerffili, ) is a town and community in Wales. It is situated at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley. It is north of Cardiff and northwest of Newport. It is the largest town in Caerphilly County Borough, and lies wit ...

in the

County of Glamorgan , HQ = Cardiff , Government = Glamorgan County Council (1889–1974) , Origin= , Code = GLA , CodeName = Chapman code , Replace = * West Glamorgan * Mid Glamorgan * South Glamorgan , Motto ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, William 1912 births 1985 deaths Academics of Cardiff University Academics of the University of Nottingham Alumni of Cardiff University Life peers People from Caerphilly Welsh geologists Life peers created by Elizabeth II