Announcing a new Chairman

Professor Mark Spearing has been appointed Chairman of the University of Southampton Science Park Board.

During an impressive career spanning business and academia, Professor Spearing has worked at BP Research, Carborundum Microelectronics and at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a member of the Technology Advisory Group of the UK Aerospace Technology Institute, a Trustee of the Faraday Institution, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He was awarded a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award for 2004-2009.

In his additional role as Vice-President (Research and Enterprise) at the University of Southampton, Professor Spearing has oversight of all research and enterprise activities there including: the research and enterprise strategy, funding, research governance, research quality, intellectual property and spin-out companies.

On his new appointment, Professor Spearing commented: “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to be involved in the future development of one of the country’s leading university-linked science parks. The thriving community at Southampton Science Park and its success to date provides a compelling base to build on and I know that there are exciting plans to do just this.”

Dr Robin Chave, Science Park CEO, added: “My team and I are looking forward to working alongside Professor Spearing and the rest of the Board to ensure that Southampton Science Park realises its full potential and fulfils its role as a beacon for innovation and entrepreneurship on the South Coast. We have a unique offering for science and technology businesses from start-up through to multi-national, and I’m confident that our new Chairman’s experience of bridging academic and commercial sectors will be particularly valuable as we move into the new decade.”