Principal Investigators

Our people

Professor Simon Brown

Professor Simon Brown

Principal Investigator

Towards Low Energy Tech - Hardware for Future Computing

Phone:
+64 3 364 2507

Address:
Department of Physics & Astronomy
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140

Biography

Professor Simon Brown is based at the University of Canterbury. Simon has a BSc (Hons) degree from Victoria University of Wellington and a PhD. from the University of Cambridge, UK.

He has been on the faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Canterbury since 1998, and is currently a Professor in that Department. He was heavily involved in the formation of the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, and is a Principal Investigator and served as Deputy Director from 2011-2013.

Research interests

Simon has published more than 100 refereed papers in a variety of areas of nanotechnology, semiconductor and solid state physics. His current research interests focus on properties of devices fabricated from nanoparticles, as well as scanning probe investigations of nanoscale systems.

Simon was founder of NZ’s first nanotechnology company, and has an ongoing interest in the wider ethical, social, environmental and health impacts of nanotechnology.

We are deliberately trying to replicate the structure of the human brain, so there are no ones and zeros here.

Professor Simon Brown
Professor Simon Brown

In the news

Annual Report

Our research programmes over the years

April 18, 2023

There has been an evolution to move the focus of applications more towards global challenges of climate change and sustainability.

Read more about Our research programmes over the years

News Article

The MacDiarmid Institute turns 20

March 24, 2023

To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we took a look back at how we began and found it all began with a napkin.

Read more about The MacDiarmid Institute turns 20

Annual Report

Funding successes - Annual Report 2020

March 24, 2021

Funding successes for our investigators and their research programmes during 2020. This funding enables our researchers and collaborators to continue their breakthrough research in advanced materials and nanotechnology.

Read more about Funding successes - Annual Report 2020

Annual Report

Patents and Spinouts 2019 - Annual Report 2019

May 27, 2020

This article from our 2019 Annual Report provides information about the MacDiarmid Institute's latest inventions, patents and spinouts.

Read more about Patents and Spinouts 2019 - Annual Report 2019

Annual Report

2018 funding successes - Annual Report 2018

April 8, 2019

Funding successes for our investigators and their research programmes during 2018. This funding enables our researchers and collaborators to continue their breakthrough research in advanced materials and nanotechnology.

Read more about 2018 funding successes - Annual Report 2018

In The Media

Computer chips that work like human brains may ease global energy problem

March 6, 2018

Professor Simon Brown and his research regarding neuromorphic computer chips is featured on TVNZ and at the idealog.

Read more about Computer chips that work like human brains may ease global energy problem

News Article

MI Investigators successful in MBIE Endeavour Round 2016 & Smart Ideas

October 18, 2016

12 of our Investigators were successful in MBIE 2016 Endeavour Round and are involved in both Smart Ideas and Research Programmes.

Read more about MI Investigators successful in MBIE Endeavour Round 2016 & Smart Ideas