William Ramsay was a writer and composer.
He wrote novels, published short fiction, and edited the literary journal Fiction-Online. He wrote a number of plays; his black comedy takeoff on Aeschylus, "Agamemnon," enjoyed a successful run in 1999 in Washington, D.C. (See Writing.) His interest in historical problems was reflected in the subject matter of several of his works. See his blog entries for his views on history and fiction.
His musical compositions include opera, songs, piano works, works for strings and woodwind ensembles, and for orchestras. His Glory Road was performed by the Santa Barbara Symphony. (See Music.)
He had a Ph.D. in physics from UCLA. He worked as an environmental economist at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Resources for the Future, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. He published books and papers in physics and on energy and environmental issues. (See Writing.)
He departed this life on November 8, 2016, in Washington, DC. See his obituaries for more on his life.