Anthony G. Evans
December 4th, 1942 – September 9th, 2009
Tony Evans fought a courageous battle from the day of his diagnosis of a deadly cancer. Sadly, he passed away early Wednesday morning, September 9th, at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was a devoted loving husband, father and grandfather.
Tony’s innovative contributions to materials were enormous, and were recognized with the highest accolades in science and engineering. Tony was an Alcoa Professor of Materials, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Center for Multifunctional Materials and Structures and Co-Director for the Center for Collaborative Engineering Research and Education at the University of California Santa Barbara. He was a world-renowned Researcher, Scientist, and a top-ranked founded chair of the department of Materials Engineering. He was a beautiful person who will be remembered dearly by legions of colleagues and friends around the world during his life that ended all too soon.
A native of Wales, U.K., Tony was born in Porthcawl to William Glyn and Annie May Evans. Tony’s only sibling, brother Alan Evans, passed away tragically at age 30 from a work related accident attempting to secure a dam in Tasmania. Tony and his family moved to the U.S. in the early 70’s.
Professor Evans earned his Ph.D. (1967) in metallurgy at Imperial College, London. After graduate studies, he was employed at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell, Europe’s most prestigious and best equipped laboratory and at the U.S. National Bureau of Standards, before joining the Rockwell International Science Center, as a group leader.
From 1998 to 2002, he served as Gordon Wu Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Director of the Princeton Materials Institute at Princeton University. During 1994-1998, he was Gordon McKay Professor of Materials Engineering at Harvard University. Prior to that he was the founding chair of the Materials Department and director of the High Performance Composites Center at the University of California at Santa Barbara (1985-1994) and a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Mineral Engineering at the University of California at Berkeley (1978-1985). Evans served as vice president of the American Ceramic Society (1984-1988) and for four years as chair of the Defense Sciences Research Council. ASM International awarded him with the Henry Marion Howe Medal in 2006 and the Gold Medal in 2005. Other achievements include membership in the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Royal Society of London, the Royal Academy of Engineering of London, and his recent and quite proud moment receiving a Fellow in the Imperial College of London, his alma mater.
His public service included a Gold Medal at the ASM International, ASME Nadai and Senior U.S. Scientists. Author of over 540 publications, Evans has been honored with numerous awards and is one of the most highly cited authors in materials science, as well as in engineering and physics.
Tony was able to accomplish so much while never forgetting the importance of family. It seemed he was either collecting another award or coaching one of his kid’s soccer games. He was just as at home writing a research paper as he was hosting another party alongside his beautiful wife Trisha; flying across international time zones for consulting work or playing in the yard with his grandchildren; designing another metal for the U.S. Defenses for peace or hiking Parma Park with his son-in-law. Tony lived life to the fullest, humble, appreciative, fun-loving, with an extraordinary smile and laughter that will always be remembered. Tony is survived by his wife Trisha, Children Polly and Philip Manset, Jemina Evans and Grandchildren Joshua, Savannah and baby on the way Antonia Manset.
Tony’s brilliance, enthusiasm and unquenched intellectual curiosity are inspirations to us all. His contribution to establishing the culture of collegiality and interdisciplinary research that is a hallmark to UCSB cannot be overemphasized. He was kind to everyone and will be sorely missed. Our thanks to Dr. T. Woliver and his wonderful staff. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Faculty Club lawn next to the lagoon at UCSB on October 24th.