Alan Brewin (he/him/his) is NPL’s Science and Engineering Director.
Alan is responsible for ensuring NPL’s science and engineering capability is both world-leading and future-proof to ensure the UK’s drive to become a scientific superpower. He oversees the organisation’s people, scientific facilities and equipment, enabling the effective delivery of all contracted work to commercial customers and government.
Alan is passionate about facilitating technical innovation through diverse teams and developing new talent. He has a focus on Safety and Quality across NPL’s laboratory activities.
Alan has previously held numerous roles within the Research Divisions of NPL, including Head of Analytical Science, and has led numerous research groups. He has overseen the formulation of NPL’s government research programme and has operated within a policy environment within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to help establish a new ownership, governance and operating model for NPL. Prior to this, Alan was Head of Operational Performance, working with the Heads of NPL's Scientific Divisions to improve performance.
In April 2022 Alan was appointed chair of The National Laboratory Alliance (NLA) a collaborative group of Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs) established to help strengthen government science capability and further the effectiveness of individual members as well as the collective value of PSREs. Alan was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in June 2023.
Before joining NPL, Alan worked in Product & Standards Development in the electronics assembly industry, and as Chief Chemist for Concoat Ltd.
Alan has authored 15 scientific reports on lead-free electronics, including the industry guide 'The Pb-free minefield' written with the trade body the Component Obsolescence Group. Alan has also represented the UK on IEC, IPC, SMART and other technical standards committees.
Email Alan Brewin