Professor Brown teaches grad courses on axiomatic design and on surface metrology, and undergraduate courses on manufacturing and on the technology of alpine skiing. He also consults and teaches courses for industry on axiomatic design and on surface metrology. A WPI faculty member since 1989, Brown has published more than 100 articles on machining, axiomatic design, sports engineering, and surface metrology applied to engineering, archeology and physical anthropology. He has patents on a fractal method for characterizing surface roughness, an apparatus for friction testing, and on sports equipment. He also developed software for surface texture analysis.