Brian Follett
Encyclopedia
Professor Sir Brian Keith Follett FRS (born 22 February 1939) chaired the UK government's Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) from 2003-9. The TDA is responsible for recruiting to the teaching profession (ca. 40,000 people per annum), for the training of the wider workforce in schools and for the modernisation (change management) of schools and implementation of such policies as "extended schools". He currently continues to chair the national STEM Advisory Forum that is involved in the UK government's STEM agenda in schools and universities. He is a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company,and chairs their "community forum" along with the committee responsible for the Shakespeare Birthday Weekend celebrations. He is President of the Stratford Society and also a governor of the Girl's School.
, a boys' grammar school
.
from 1993 to 2001 and Professor of Zoology at the University of Bristol
from 1978 until 1993.
He chaired the UK's Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) from 2000 until 2007. He also chaired a government inquiry into the 2001 UK foot and mouth crisis
entitled The Royal Society Inquiry into Infectious Diseases in Livestock. This inquiry examined the scientific aspects of the crisis, for instance the efficacy of vaccinations, the way the virus spreads and so on, chaired and/or wrote various other government reports and was President of The Association for Science Education (ASE) from 1997-8.
in birds and mammals.
Early life
Follett was born on 22 February 1939. He attended Bournemouth SchoolBournemouth School
Bournemouth School , is a boys' grammar school and sixth-form college occupying a site in Charminster, Bournemouth, Dorset, England and teaching children from years 7 to 13...
, a boys' grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
.
Career
He is a non-stipendiary Professor in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford and teaches animal physiology. Follett was formerly Vice-Chancellor of the University of WarwickUniversity of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
from 1993 to 2001 and Professor of Zoology at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
from 1978 until 1993.
He chaired the UK's Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) from 2000 until 2007. He also chaired a government inquiry into the 2001 UK foot and mouth crisis
2001 UK foot and mouth crisis
The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2001 caused a crisis in British agriculture and tourism. This epizootic saw 2,000 cases of the disease in farms in most of the British countryside. Over 10 million sheep and cattle were killed in an eventually successful attempt to...
entitled The Royal Society Inquiry into Infectious Diseases in Livestock. This inquiry examined the scientific aspects of the crisis, for instance the efficacy of vaccinations, the way the virus spreads and so on, chaired and/or wrote various other government reports and was President of The Association for Science Education (ASE) from 1997-8.
Research
Follett's research interests are in the reproductive biology of higher vertebrates, and in particular, seasonal breedingAssociated reproductive pattern
An associated reproductive patterns is a seasonal change in reproduction which is highly correlated with a change in gonad and associated hormone....
in birds and mammals.
Career and awards
- 1944-57 - School education in BournemouthBournemouthBournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, England - 1960 - BSc with 1st class hons in Biochemistry (called Biological Chemistry at that time) from University of BristolUniversity of BristolThe University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
- 1964 - PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Bristol
- 1965-9 Lecturer in Zoology, University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
- 1969-78 Lecturer, then Reader and then Professor - University of Wales, Bangor
- 1978-93 - Professor of Zoology and Head of Department at University of Bristol
- 15 March 1984 - FRS
- 1987-93 - Biological Secretary, The Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
- 1992 - Knighted for services to science
- 1993 to 2001 - Vice-Chancellor of the University of WarwickUniversity of WarwickThe University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
- 2000-7 - Chairman of the Arts and Humanities Research CouncilArts and Humanities Research CouncilEstablished in April 2005 as successor to the Arts and Humanities Research Board, the Arts and Humanities Research Council is a British Research Council and non-departmental public body that provides approximately £102 million from the Government to support research and postgraduate study in the...
(AHRC) - 2003-9 - Chairman of the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA)
- 2006- - Chair of the STEM Advisory Forum
- Director for many years of the AFRCAgricultural and Food Research CouncilThe Agricultural and Food Research Council , was a British Research Council responsible for funding and managing scientific and technological developments in farming and horticulture....
's Research Group on PhotoperiodismPhotoperiodismPhotoperiodism is the physiological reaction of organisms to the length of day or night. It occurs in plants and animals.Photoperiodism can also be defined as the developmental responses of plants to the relative lengths of the light and dark periods...
and Reproduction. Published ca. 400 papers.
- Chaired a number of government enquiries including:
- two on university libraries (1993 and 2003, both for HEFCE and the other UK Funding Councils)
- one for the ESRC and the British Academy on the future of funding in the humanities and social sciences (1992)
- and one on the consequences of the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital Inquiry in relation to academic and clinical careers in medicine (2001)