Alice P. Gast

Biography

Dr. Gast has been President of Imperial College London, a public research university specializing in science, engineering, medicine, and business, since 2014. She was President of Lehigh University, a private research university, from 2006 until 2014 and Vice President for Research, Associate Provost, and Robert T. Haslam Chair in Chemical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2001 until 2006. Dr. Gast was professor of chemical engineering at Stanford University and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory from 1985 until 2001. Other Directorships and Memberships: Global Science and Innovation Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of Malaysia; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia; National Academy of Engineering. 

Research Interest

Environmental Affairs: At Imperial College London, oversees environmental institutes and centers and leads the university crisis management group. At Lehigh University, presided over environmental centers, advisory groups, and crisis management. Expertise in chemical and biological terrorism issues gained through service on several governmental committees. Finance: Eleven years of service as president of leading educational institutions, with ultimate responsibility for finance, fundraising, and endowment management. Global Business / International Affairs: Served as a U.S. Science Envoy for the U.S. Department of State to advise on ways to foster and deepen relationships with the Caucasus and Central Asia. Serves on the Singapore Ministry of Education’s Academic Research Council and to the Board of Trustees for the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. Serves on the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils and on the Global Science and Innovation Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Government / Regulatory / Public Policy: Served on the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee. Chaired the scientific review committee empaneled by the National Research Council at the request of the FBI to conduct an independent review of the investigatory methods used by the FBI in the criminal case involving the mailing of anthrax spores. Research / Academia: More than three decades of service in academia and research at leading educational institutions. Science / Technology / Engineering: M.A. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Princeton University. Former Vice President for Research, Associate Provost, and Robert T. Haslam Chair in Chemical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and professor of chemical engineering at Stanford University and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory.