Academic receives fellowship from new university

Jul 31 2008 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

A HAMILTON academic who has been awarded an honorary fellowship of the University of the West of Scotland admitted this week that the accolade was a surprise.

Dr John Brain was given the honour following a long and distinguished career in research engineering.

Dr Brain (67) lives in Earnock with his wife Joyce and has three daughters, Carol, Julie and Laura.

He said: "I was absolutely delighted with the honorary fellowship and really proud. It came totally out of the blue.

"They thought it was deserved because of my career but it was a lovely ceremony and it made me feel very special."

Dr Brain, a former vice-chairman of the board of governors at Hamilton's Bell College, received his honour during a ceremony on July 2.

Educated at the former Hamilton Academy and Glasgow University, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

He started his career as a senior scientific officer at the National Engineering Laboratory (NEL), East Kilbride, in 1967 and was promoted to principal scientific officer seven years later.

During this period, he was responsible for devising and developing the UKs unique National Standard Test Facility for measurement of high pressure gases at flows of up to supersonic velocities.

He was involved in international exchange research programmes with countries throughout Europe and the US.

In 1981, he was promoted to senior principal scientific officer and appointed head of NELs heat transferdivision.

In 1988, Dr Brain was seconded for six months to the Department of Trade and Industry HQ in Westminster and worked on radiowave propagation research. On his return to NEL, he was promoted to deputy chief scientific officer and in 1993 became general operations manager of the company.

A year later, Dr Brain left NEL to take up a post at the Teaching Company Directorate as senior consultant for Scotland, where he remained until his retiral in 2002.

During this time he led a major expansion in the number of TCD research and development projects undertaken between commercial companies and the universities in Scotland.

The honorary fellowship award is given to those who have made an outstanding contribution.

A UWS spokesman said: During his career he made a significant contribution to engineering research in Scotland, and was a fitting recipient of this award.

The University of the West of Scotland was created following the merger between University of Paisley and Bell College.