Nick Brown (academic) explained

Nicholas David Leimu-Brown (born 4 December 1962) is a British botanist and academic. Since 2010, he has been Principal of Linacre College, Oxford.^{[1] [2]} He is also a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner.^[3]

Early life and education

Leimu-Brown was born on 4 December 1962 in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, England.^[4] He completed the International Baccalaureate at UWC Atlantic College in Wales from 1979 to 1981.^[5] He then studied geography at the University of Cambridge (Churchill College) between 1982 – 1985 and then an MSc in ecology at the University of Aberdeen. From 1986 to 1990 he studied for a DPhil in Forest Ecology under the supervision of Timothy Charles Whitmore at the University of Oxford (Linacre College).^[6] His thesis was entitled "Dipterocarp regeneration in tropical rain forest gaps of different sizes".^[7] He has also completed a diploma in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.^[8]

Career and research

Leimu-Brown was a lecturer at Manchester University from 1989 and then from 1992 to 2010 he was a lecturer in forestry at the University of Oxford.^{[9] [10] [11]}

In 2010 he took office as the fourth principal of Linacre College, Oxford.

Since 2014 he has been a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner acting as chair of awards policy committee.

Since 2015 he has been the chair of the University of Oxford buildings and estates sub-committee and serves on the planning and resource allocation committee of council.^{[12] [13]} He also chairs the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter and the Science Area Advisory Boards.^{[14] [15]}

Amidst a global climate crisis and whilst many institutes divest from fossil fuel funds, Nick Brown was unsuccessful in 2022 into moving private fossil fuel funds subject to a high court lawsuit, in a deal alleged to be corrupt,^[16] to change the academic nature of the college, including name, away from its values of environmentalism and gender equality. ^[17] The event generated substantial international criticism and attention.^{[18] [19]}

Personal life

Leimu-Brown is married to Dr Roosa Leimu-Brown, a yoga therapist, movement educator and dance artist with a PhD in biology,^[20] affiliated with the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford.^{[21] [22]} Nick Leimu-Brown's hobbies include sailing.^[23]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Dr Nick Brown elected as next Principal of Linacre. News. University of Oxford. 25 April 2014. 18 November 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20140426215427/http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2009/091118.html. 26 April 2014. dead.
2. Web site: College history Linacre College. University of Oxford. 19 July 2016.
3. Web site: Dr Nick Brown – GOV.UK. gov.uk. 19 July 2016.
4. Web site: BROWN, Dr Nicholas David. Who's Who 2016. Oxford University Press. 5 October 2016. November 2015.
5. Web site: Nick Brown LinkedIn. www.linkedin.com. 19 July 2016.
6. Burley. Jeffery. Mills. Roger A. Plumptre. Robert A. Savill. Peter S. Wood. Peter J. Wright. Howard L. A History of Forestry at Oxford University. British Scholar. 2009. 1. 2. 236–261. 10.3366/brs.2009.0007.
7. Brown. N. D.. 1 January 1990. Dipterocarp regeneration in tropical rain forest gaps of different sizes. Thesis --University of Oxford.
8. Web site: Nick Brown. ResearchGate. 19 July 2016.
9. Web site: Dr ND Brown. February 2014. People. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford. 12 January 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150112211132/http://www.plants.ox.ac.uk/plants/staff/NickBrown.aspx. 12 January 2015. dmy-all.
10. Web site: Oxford Forestry Institute – Annual Report 1994. University of Oxford. 19 July 2016.
11. Web site: Plant Sciences Staff. 2015-03-28. 2018-01-16. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150328232041/http://www.plants.ox.ac.uk/plants/staff/NickBrown.aspx. 28 March 2015. dmy-all.
12. Web site: Buildings and Estates Subcommittee Membership. Buildings and Estates Subcommittee Membership. University of Oxford. 19 July 2016.
13. Web site: Connecting Oxfordshire: Local Transport Plan 2015–2031. 23 March 2015. Oxford Futures. 19 July 2016.
14. Web site: ROQ Advisory Board (ROQAB). ROQ Advisory Board (ROQAB). University of Oxford. 19 July 2016.
15. Web site: Science Area Advisory Board (SAAB). Science Area Advisory Board (SAAB). University of Oxford. 19 July 2016.
16. Web site: Bikini airline tycoon in £155m legal battle . 2023-06-28 . PressReader.
17. News: Turner . Camilla . 2022-12-18 . 'Bikini airline' tycoon due to have Oxford college named after her embroiled in £155m legal row . en-GB . The Telegraph . 2023-06-28 . 0307-1235.
18. News: Turner . Camilla . 2022-06-14 . Oxford college investigated over £155m gift with links to communist regime . en-GB . The Telegraph . 2023-06-28 . 0307-1235.
19. Web site: Hancock . Charlie . 2022-07-10 . Linacre name change donation under government investigation . 2023-06-28 . Cherwell . en-GB.
20. Web site: Leimu-Brown . Roosa . 2022 . Roosa Leimu-Brown . 3 June 2022.
21. Web site: Dr Roosa Leimu Brown Plants for the 21st Century Institute. University of Oxford. 19 July 2016.
22. Web site: TEST for Africa. testforafrica.com. 19 July 2016.
23. Web site: European Outdoor Conservation Association About Us Who We Are. European Outdoor Conservation Association About Us Who We Are. 19 July 2016.