About

Dr Norman Apsley joined the Northern Ireland Science Park Foundation Limited  in 2000, as its first Chief Executive, on return from England where he was involved for some thirty years in applied research and the commercialisation of research.

Norman was born in Larne, and educated at Larne Grammar School and at the then, New University of Ulster, achieving a First Class Honours Degree in Physics. At the end of this time Norman went to Cambridge University to study amorphous semiconductors under Abe Yoffe at the Cavendish Laboratories. Norman became a Fellow of Jesus College and an SERC Research Fellow.

By 1979, Norman joined RSRE (now Qinetiq), one of Europe’s foremost applied physics laboratories. For ten years, he researched a wide variety of microwave and optical devices, publishing some 70 scientific papers and patents. He became a manager in 1990 and, through that decade, led various teams, ending as Director Electronics and Site Director.

Since 2000, Norman has steered the Northern Ireland Science Park from an initial concept to physical embodiment, headquartered on 25 acres of Queen’s Island, in its award winning Innovation Centre, surrounded by an ever increasing number of bespoke Science Park buildings.
His unpaid professional appointments include membership of certain panels of Matrix, the Northern Ireland Science Industry strategy group and Vice President (Business and Innovation) of the Institute of Physics. He is also a visiting Professor at the University of Ulster.