Remembering Neal Brown
July 23, 2021
It is with great sadness that the Â鶹´«Ã½ community recognizes the death of Neal Brown, a scientist and researcher who served the Â鶹´«Ã½ Fairbanks as a student, educator and researcher for more than 40 years.
Brown’s contributions to education and research at Â鶹´«Ã½F cannot be overstated and the university community will mourn this loss but carry out his continued fascination with the study of the Aurora, earth’s atmosphere and space.
Brown graduated from Washington State University Pullman in 1961 and began working for NASA shortly thereafter. Before joining the Â鶹´«Ã½ Fairbanks a few years later, he researched the science behind vehicles reentering earth’s atmosphere.
Brown came to Fairbanks more than 50 years ago to study the Aurora Borealis.
He earned his master’s degree in geophysics from Â鶹´«Ã½F in 1966. After working at the Geophysical Institute, he spent 18 years directing the Poker Flat Research Range.
He later led the Â鶹´«Ã½F-based Alaska Space Grant Program, which focuses on teaching, research and education in aerospace and earth sciences. Brown was awarded an honorary doctorate from Â鶹´«Ã½F in 1997 for his contributions to science communications.
The Â鶹´«Ã½ offers its deepest condolences to the Brown family in the wake of this loss.
If you or someone you know is struggling with this loss, please don’t struggle alone. Free help is available through the Employee Assistance Program. Please call 1-888-993-7650, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.