Alice P. Gast
Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London and Retired President, Imperial College London
Age 65
Director since December 2012
Independent: Yes
Yas Marina Committees: Board Nominating and Governance; Public Policy and Sustainability
Dr. Gast has been a Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London, a public research university specializing in science, engineering, medicine, and business, since August 2022. She was President of Imperial College London, from 2014 to August 2022. 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 and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory from 1985 until 2001.
Other Directorships and Memberships: National Academy of Engineering; Royal Academy of Engineering; Académie des Technologies (France)
Skills and qualifications
Environmental Affairs: At Imperial College London, oversaw environmental institutes and centers and led 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: Sixteen years of service as president of leading educational institutions, with ultimate responsibility for finance, fundraising, and endowment management.
Global Business/International Affairs: Has lived in the United Kingdom since 2014, gaining enhanced perspective on global energy needs. Serves on the Singapore Ministry of Education’s Academic Research Council, Koç University Board of Overseers, and on the Technical University Munich Institute for Advanced Study International Advisory Committee. 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 and on the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils. Served on the Board of Trustees for the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.
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. Served on the Board of UKRI, the UK Research and Innovation funding and policy body.
Research/Academia: More than three decades of service in academia and research at leading educational institutions. Deep experience with engineering programs and the capabilities and interests of the incoming talent pipeline.
Science/Technology/Engineering: B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Southern California and an 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. Fellow of the National Academy of Engineering, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Académie des Technologies (France).
Updated: May 2023