Collaboration, innovation, impact
In pictures: Professor Alice Gast's eight years at Imperial College London
Professor Alice Gast became President of Imperial College London in 2014. Since then, the world has changed beyond recognition. Imperial’s teaching, research and innovations have never mattered so much to society.
The College has risen to the challenge of the pandemic, delivering award-winning student education through national lockdowns while operating on the frontlines of the world’s scientific response. It has stood firm on international values in the face of Brexit and wider geopolitical uncertainty. It has spoken out, and taken action, against racial injustice. It has created a thriving innovation district at White City, strengthening British science, fuelling global business, and benefiting the local community.
As Professor Alice Gast’s eight-year term as President ends, we reflect on some of the community’s most significant moments and achievements.
Excellence for the benefit of society
I have been struck by the spirit of discovery here, the passion for research and education, the sense of purpose. At Imperial, there exists a compelling commitment to our mission to achieve enduring academic excellence and lasting benefit to society.
We are international
Our international community, our collaborations, our partnerships, and our own experiences in other cultures and places have an immeasurable and profound effect on the world.
Words from peers
Without Alice, all this innovation would never have happened. She was the perfect president at the perfect time in the perfect university. Without her, I don’t think I would have been able to launch WE Innovate as successfully as I did. She planted
the seeds for innovation: it’s a phenomenal legacy. She taught Imperial that there are many ways to be a president, and that you need diversity of thinking, thought and background. That way, you reach beyond what’s comfortable.
A university does not sit in isolation, it needs to engage with a very wide range of stakeholders. Philanthropic support is a clear indication to the world that it has been found worthy of recognition to the point of financial support. The university has made very important connections with local communities. Alice has attracted the attention of significant donors and focused on student welfare.
As an inspiring leader at Imperial, MIT and beyond, Alice has opened up countless opportunities for faculty and researchers to forge new connections and explore new frontiers. I am deeply grateful for her partnership and for all she has done for academic excellence.
I don’t think I would have done this if Alice had not been President. She felt the project would be successful – and she knew that Imperial could not achieve its goals without philanthropic support.
Alice gets people to work together across the board, on the big sciences. She’s broken barriers within the university to enable large-scale interdisciplinary projects to happen.
The Imperial community
We are here for each other and, as a thriving community, we can find the best way to navigate an uncertain future.
Enabling philanthropy
Our strong foundation and compelling opportunities to make a difference, have inspired some wonderful philanthropists to make our ideas a reality... With their support, we can discover, invent, collaborate and take risks.
.
Photography by:
Thomas Angus, Fergus Burnett and Dan Weill
Built with Shorthand
