sir neil cossons obe fsa fma born 15 january 1939 is proprovost and chairman of council of the royal college of art from 1986 to 2000 he was the director of the science museum london uk he was the first director of the ironbridge gorge museum trust from 1971 and then at the national maritime museum greenwich from 1983 from 1989 to 1995 and 1999 to 2000 he was an english heritage commissioner in 2000 he took over as chairman of english heritage a post he held to 20071the son of a nottinghamshire headmaster neil cossons studied historical geography at university2cossons was appointed an officer of the order of the british empire obe in 1982 and knighted for services to museums and the heritage in 1994 he was president of the museums association 19823 and is a fellow of the museums association fma and fellow of the society of antiquaries of london he was one of the founders of the association of independent museums aim and its chairman from 1978 to 1983 when he was appointed president a position he still holds a member of the newcomen society for the history of engineering and technology since 1963 cossons was president from 20012003 and awarded the societys dickinson memorial medal in 2001 other appointments include member of the design council 19901994 president of the association for industrial archaeology 19771980 nonexecutive director of british waterways board 19952001 collier professor in the public understanding of science in the university of bristol 20012002 president of the royal geographical society 20032006 he has been an honorary professor at the university of birmingham since 1994 cossons holds honorary doctorates from thirteen british universities and was awarded the presidents medal of the royal academy of engineering in 1993cossons is britains leading authority on the industrial heritage and has advised on matters of conservation and management widely in the uk and overseas he has published and broadcast extensively in this field and is a sought after speaker internationally his interests include design manufacturing industrial archaeology and the history of engineering and technology