Gavin Brown

Gavin Brown was born in Scotland on 27 February 1942.

After attending secondary school at Madras College in St Andrews, Brown graduated with a Master of Arts degree (1st Class Honours and the Duncan Medal) from the University of St Andrews in 1963 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1966. His academic career began at the University of Liverpool, where he became a senior lecturer in mathematics.

Brown accepted the Chair of Pure Mathematics at the University of New South Wales in 1975 and he and his family emigrated to Australia. At the University of New South Wales, Brown held a number of academic administrative posts, including Head of the Department of Pure Mathematics, Head of the School of Mathematics, and Dean of the Faculty of Science. 

In 1992, Brown became the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Adelaide. Later, in 1994, he became the Vice-Chancellor.

He took up the position of Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney in 1996 and retired from the post in 2008.

Brown was actively involved in the work of the Australian Research Council as a chairman of various funding committees from 1988 to 1993, and a member of the Council from 1992 to 1993.

He wrote more than 100 research papers and served on the board of several international journals.

He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of St Andrews (1997) and an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Dundee (2004). In 2006, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.

Brown returned to Adelaide after retiring in 2008. He died of a heart attack on Christmas Day in 2010.