DR Kevin Brown, a highly accomplished academic and aerospace engineer, has been appointed the fifth president of the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica.

The University Council, at a recent meeting, unanimously approved the recommendation from the Joint Committee of Council and Academic Board for the appointment of Brown for a period of five years with effect from September 11, 2023.

In making the announcement UTech Chancellor Lloyd Carney said: “I am happy that Dr Brown has agreed to take up the mantle as president of the university at this critical juncture in the institution’s history and development.

“The University Council is confident that the leadership of this distinguished Jamaican, strategic thinker and alumnus who brings a proven track record as an experienced technology expert with outstanding accomplishments in research, teaching and academic administration, will enhance UTech, Jamaica’s capacity to fulfil its role as Jamaica’s national university in supporting the achievements of the country’s development goals.”

Brown has been a trailblazer in academia and the aerospace industry for more than 18 years. He is a technical expert in complex and integrated aerospace structural system design and a thought-leader in transport systems, engineering materials and numerical computational analysis.

In his most recent role, he served as technology project lead for Civil Aerospace Technology and Future Programmes at Rolls-Royce — a leading global aerospace company and provider of jet engines for commercial and defence aircraft with more than 44,000 employees worldwide.

He joined Rolls-Royce in 2013 and has held a number of technical and management roles with responsibility for strategic planning, financial management and leadership of global teams across the Rolls-Royce aerospace business.

Brown is an inventor and holds a patent in America and Britain. He is also an entrepreneur and co-founder of a start-up company in telecommunications. His innovative and pioneering work includes the strategic development of lightweight composite material structures for future jet engines through collaboration with a series of technology partners and top UK universities including Oxford and Bristol universities.

Prior to joining Rolls-Royce, Brown was a research fellow in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham for five years where he led world-class research on developing novel composite materials and structures, including numerical computational models and undertaking complex experimental processes.

He has authored and won multimillion-pound research grant proposals and has published 22 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers.

Brown is a radio broadcaster and has been the host of the Talkback Show on 97.5 KEMET FM for more than 12 years. He has also been a guest commentator on BBC Radio.

Born and raised in Jamaica, Brown is an alumnus of UTech, Jamaica where he completed a Diploma (Honours) in Mechanical Engineering majoring in production in 2000 and was president of the Student’s Union. He received a scholarship from Ford Motor Company and earned a master’s degree and PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Nottingham.