Education
He was educated at Sir George Monoux Grammar School in east London and the City University in central London.
He was educated at Sir George Monoux Grammar School in east London and the City University in central London.
After a period working with English Electric in 1963 he was appointed lecturer in mathematics at City University, London. The first course broadcast by the university in 1971 was an introduction to the maths foundation course presented by Gowar. In 1990 he became principal of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College.
He was a member of the Fulbright Commission from 2001-2005.