Neil Brown

Partner

Offices: United Kingdom

Email: neil.brown@technopolis-group.com

Neil Brown is a Partner with Technopolis, working in the area of innovation and science policy.  He is a very experienced researcher who has been involved in delivering and managing a wide range of research, impact assessment and evaluation projects over the past 15+ years, including large and complex studies of policies and programmes for research councils, funding bodies and government departments in the UK and elsewhere. 

He is currently managing an impact, process and economic evaluation of the UK Fund for International Collaboration (for UKRI), as well as a socio-economic impact study of the UK’s investment in the European Southern Observatory (for STFC).  He is also the Project Director for an ongoing evaluation of the UK Energy Catalyst.  In addition, Neil is contributing to an evaluation of Cypriot involvement in H2020 and a study for the Research Council of Norway to develop and implement a methodology to assess societal impacts of R&I funding.   

Neil has just concluded two major socio-economic impact assessments for STFC, of the UK national synchrotron (Diamond) and the UK’s involvement in CERN, building on previous assessments of the ISIS muon and neutron source and the Hartree HPC Centre – all of which he managed.  Each has sought to identify, demonstrate and measure the full range of benefits realised through investment in these research infrastructures and the R&D that they enable, as well as to provide a framework for future monitoring and evaluation.  He has also recently concluded a series of scoping studies for BEIS, developing evaluation frameworks and plans that set out how to effectively evaluate parts of BEIS’ Energy Innovation Programme portfolio.  

Neil is skilled in many aspects of research and evaluation, covering both quantitative and qualitative methods.  He trained as an economist and statistician and has strong skills in data management, manipulation and advanced analysis techniques.  He takes a lead role in the company in the design and implementation of surveys and data collection exercises.  Neil also has extensive experience of conducting interviews with a broad range of stakeholders at various levels and across many subject areas, and has developed a large number of in-depth case studies focusing on topics ranging from the UK Science Research Investment Fund and technology transfer offices, to European innovation leaders and users of standards. 

Neil is British and a fluent English speaker.  He holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Local and Regional Economic Development from the Institute of Economic Development Trust, as well as a BSc (Hons) Degree in Economics from the University of York, and a Level 3 Certificate in Management.  He joined Technopolis at the beginning of 2006, having previously focused on economic development, regeneration, labour market and skills research.