Chris Walley

Chris Walley, born in Wales in 1954, is a dynamic individual balancing a wide spectrum of roles - geologist, author, tertiary education lecturer, and conservation science coordinator. Growing up in Northern England, he developed an enduring passion for geology. His pursuit of this interest landed him a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Sheffield University and a Ph.D. from the University of Wales, Swansea. From 1980-1984, his geology expertise was put to good use at the American University of Beirut. During his tenure there, he met his wife and welcomed his two sons, John and Mark.

In 1984, his career pivoted to serving as a consultant for the oil industry while he was based in Swansea. While holding this professional mantle, he ventured into various African and Asian countries, conducting fieldwork and contributing greatly to the understanding of the geology of different countries through his synthesis volumes. A creative soul, he dabbled in writing, publishing two novels under the pseudonym of John Haworth. The call of academia brought him back to the American University of Beirut in 1994, to rebuild its Department of Geology. During his second stint there, he initiated a vast environmental project in the Bekaa with A Rocha Lebanon. Post his overseas service, he returned to the United Kingdom in 1998. This gave way to a new career path - writing and editing, primarily for the Christian market, while still engaging with geological field trips for Wheaton College (Illinois). In 2004, he resumed teaching geology, geography, and environmental science at Gorseinon College, aka Gower College Swansea.