Dr. William Glen (1932 – August 13, 2025) passed away peacefully at age 93 in southern California.
Born in Brooklyn, NY, Bill earned a Bachelor of Science degree in geology from Brooklyn College, and served with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1953-55). He moved to California in 1955 to study at U.C. Berkeley where he earned his Master’s degree in paleontology-stratigraphy.
He received his PhD from the Union Graduate School (Union Institute/Antioch College) in 1979, forging a new path as a historian of science. He taught Earth Science at the College of San Mateo for four decades and held appointments at the U.S. Geological Survey and Stanford University Press.
An early advocate for plate tectonics, his accessible writings—including The Road to Jaramillo—remain influential in geoscience and the history of science.
Outside academia, Bill was a champion fencer, avid sailor, runner, biker, and lover of Baroque music.
He is survived by his wife Marilyn, children Bennett, Hilary, and Jonathan, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.