Professor Robin Williams

Appointment: 1 August 2009 to 30 July 2012

Professor Robin Williams was Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University from 1994 until 2003. Prior to that he was Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Cardiff University where he also held the position of Vice Principal. His research interests are mainly in the areas of semiconductor physics, advanced electronic devices and nanotechnology where he has published over 300 academic papers and books. Much of his research involved collaboration with industry world-wide and he has chaired a broad range of national and international committees in physics and engineering, including those of the UK Research Councils. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and was awarded the CBE for his contribution to research and to higher education. He has served on the Ministerial Advisory Groups for economic development and for education in Wales and was a member of the group established to review higher education. He is a Welsh speaker and recently chaired the Planning Board established to produce an independent report on a model for the ‘Coleg Ffederal’, now established as Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.