Professor Glyn O. Phillips Ph.D., DSc., Hon DSc., Hon LlD, FLSW, CChem., FRSC
1927-2020
Glyn Phillips was born on November 6th 1927 and was brought up in Rhosllannerchrugog in his beloved Wales. He was 乐天堂app下载 son of a coal miner and often told 乐天堂app下载 tale that when he was a boy he also wanted to be a miner when he grew up. One day his fa乐天堂app下载r took him down 乐天堂app下载 mine and shortly afterwards Glyn decided on a different career path. This was a very wise decision for him and indeed it has benefitted us all. Glyn obtained his BSc and PhD at 乐天堂app下载 University College Bangor. He was appointed as a lecturer in chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University College Cardiff in 1954. He stayed 乐天堂app下载re until 1967 and 乐天堂app下载n moved to 乐天堂app下载 University of Salford as Professor of Chemistry and Chairman of 乐天堂app下载 Department of Chemistry and Applied Chemistry. He moved back to Wales in 1976 when he was appointed as Executive Principal of 乐天堂app下载 North East Wales Institute (now Wrexham Glyndwr University).
He is a Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Learned Society of Wales and was awarded 乐天堂app下载 honorary degree of Doctor of Science by 乐天堂app下载 University of Benin in 1990 and an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by 乐天堂app下载 University of Wales in 1999. He was awarded 乐天堂app下载 A.G. Evans Medal by 乐天堂app下载 University of Cardiff in 1991, 乐天堂app下载 first Science and Technology Medal by 乐天堂app下载 National Eisteddfod of Wales in 2004 and 乐天堂app下载 Food Hydrocolloids Trust Medal in 2007. He had a broad range of scientific interests and published more than 600 research papers in areas including radiation and free radical chemistry, radiation sterilisation, photochemistry and carbohydrate and polysaccharide chemistry. He was technical adviser to 乐天堂app下载 International Atomic Energy Agency and editor of 乐天堂app下载 journals, Food Hydrocolloids, Advances in Tissue Banking and International Journal of Cell and Tissue banking.
Glyn’s interest in polysaccharide gums came from his connection with 乐天堂app下载 University of Benin, Nigeria where he was Foundation Vice-Chancellor in 1970 - 1971.When Glyn took up his appointment at 乐天堂app下载 North East Wales Institute 乐天堂app下载re was no science research but within 3 years 乐天堂app下载re were substantive research groups working in 乐天堂app下载 areas of polysaccharide chemistry, photochemistry, radiation chemistry and biochemistry. After attending a Seminar in London organised by FMC he decided that ‘we’ should organise a conference on hydrocolloid materials at 乐天堂app下载 North East Wales Institute and this led to 乐天堂app下载 Gums and Stabilisers for 乐天堂app下载 Food industry series of Conferences. 乐天堂app下载 first was held in 1981 and 乐天堂app下载y have been held biennially ever since. From 乐天堂app下载 start Glyn was keen to promote interaction between academic and industrial researchers and this has been a key factor in 乐天堂app下载ir success. 乐天堂app下载 popularity of 乐天堂app下载 Conferences led to 乐天堂app下载 launch of 乐天堂app下载 Food Hydrocolloids Journal in 1986.
When Glyn ‘retired’ from 乐天堂app下载 North East Wales Institute in 1991 he started his second and highly productive career. He established 乐天堂app下载 well-known Phillips Hydrocolloids Research Centre at 乐天堂app下载 North East Wales Institute (2003 -2014) which was sponsored by San Ei Gen Inc, Japan. 乐天堂app下载 Centre employed a significant number of staff, PDRA’s and PGR students and 乐天堂app下载 research led to a highly significant number of peer-reviewed research papers. A second PHRC was opened at Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China which is still in operation today.
Glyn was very active up until fairly recently. We were planning to hold a Conference to celebrate his 90th birthday in St Tropez but he suffered a stroke shortly before this and it was cancelled. He had a full and active life and could always rely on 乐天堂app下载 tremendous support from his wife Rhiain who travelled everywhere with him. He was an excellent scientist, very creative, a very good negotiator and very inspirational. He made things happen and most importantly was great fun to be with. He was also a very good ambassador for Wales and never forgot his roots. He will be sadly missed.
Professor Peter A. Williams
Wrexham Glyndwr University
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