The Schools of Convergence Science, announced as part of Imperial’s new Strategy, will enhance Imperial’s interdisciplinary research capacity, visibility, talent attraction, and funding.

The Schools will create deeply integrated research and innovation communities to deliver societal impact in the following key areas:

  • Human and artificial intelligence;
  • Health and technology;
  • Climate, energy and sustainability; and
  • Space, security and telecoms

Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London, said: “Our four new Schools of Convergence Science, led by some of the world’s brightest minds, will focus Imperial’s unique strengths across science, technology and business to deliver real-world impact on humanity’s biggest challenges. Building on Imperial’s disciplinary strengths and interdisciplinary culture, the Schools will create deeply integrated research and innovation communities that connect Imperial’s research, education and innovation with industry, the global research community and private sector accelerators, to build high-velocity, high-impact pathways from the lab to the real world.”

Professor Mary Ryan, Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise), said: “By bringing together staff and competencies from across and beyond Imperial, Imperial’s Schools of Convergence Science will allow us to respond creatively, effectively and with agility to the diverse challenges associated with the big issues of our time – from climate change and sustainability to MedTech and AI. The appointment of the inaugural Co-Directors for the Schools of Convergence Science, visionary leaders ready to shape the future of integrated-research at Imperial, marks an important moment in the implementation of this transformational initiative.”

Inaugural Co-Directors

Each School will have four Co-Directors to represent the breadth of expertise across Imperial, with a Co-Director (Convener) acting as a visible point of contact for each School. This role will rotate around the appointed team members. The Co-Directors are:

Sustainability

Health and Technology

Space, Security and Telecoms

Human and Artificial Intelligence

About the Schools

The Schools of Convergence Science will build on Imperial’s core mission and extend the boundaries of the university’s problem-solving capabilities by enabling the transdisciplinary production of unique combinations of knowledge.

They will draw on and add value to Imperial’s existing expertise in STEMB and embedded social sciences to create novel transdisciplinary research, innovation and training programmes.

These programmes will be informed by Imperial’s core societal values as well as emergent scientific trends, and combined deep technical expertise. They will allow a space where the community is encouraged and supported to imagine new pathways to shape a more desirable future.

About the Schools