Professor Martin Earwicker has been appointed Director of the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI)‚ it was announced today.
He will take on responsibility for running the NMSI family of museums that includes the Science Museum in London‚ the National Railway Museum in York‚ Locomotion in County Durham‚ the National Museum of Photography Film and Television in Bradford and NMSI Wroughton in Wiltshire.
Martin Earwicker’s appointment has been confirmed by the Prime Minister‚ Tony Blair. He will join NMSI in May 2006 after five years in his current post as Chief Executive of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. Professor Earwicker was previously Head of Science and Engineering at the Office of Science and Technology‚ part of the Department of Trade and Industry. His earlier career saw senior management positions in defence-related research‚ technology and systems at‚ among others‚ the Defence Evaluation Research Agency‚ the Ministry of Defence‚ the Defence Research Agency‚ and the Royal Aerospace Establishment.
“Martin Earwicker has an outstanding combination of skills gained in an already distinguished career‚ one that brings a wide ranging understanding of science and engineering‚ universities‚ business‚ management and government‚” said Lord Waldegrave of North Hill‚ Chairman of NMSI’s Board of Trustees. “I look to his leadership of our great national museums to help them give yet more value than ever‚ with more access‚ for more people‚ to the riches of our scientific‚ industrial and cultural heritage and to the possibilities for innovation and creativity they help inspire.”
Martin Earwicker is a visiting Professor at Imperial College‚ London‚ a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. He is also a Companion Member of the Chartered Management Institute.
“The contribution of science and technology to culture‚ to economic competitiveness and social well-being has never been more important. My new job‚ along with my colleagues‚ will be to unlock further the meaning and significance of the NMSI’s world class collections as we help foster the scientific nation we are going to need in the twenty first century”‚ said Martin Earwicker.