Thomas Townsend Brown

Thomas Townsend Brown (1905-1985)

American physicist and inventor known for his research into electrogravitic propulsion and the Biefeld-Brown effect. Founded NICAP on August 29, 1956 in Washington, D.C., envisioning it as an organization to collect and analyze UFO reports scientifically.

Brown's leadership was brief — he ran into financial trouble and clashed with Donald Keyhoe at a January 1957 meeting, after which Brown resigned and Keyhoe became director. Under Brown, NICAP had a scientific focus; under Keyhoe, it became a political advocacy organization dedicated to ending UFO secrecy.