Alice Gast facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alice Gast
FREng
|
|
|---|---|
_at_Technology_Governance_Outlook_II.png)
Speaking at the World Economic Forum's Global Technology Governance Summit 2021
|
|
| 16th President of Imperial College London | |
| In office September 1, 2014 – July 31, 2022 |
|
| Preceded by | Keith O'Nions |
| Succeeded by | Hugh Brady |
| 13th President of Lehigh University | |
| In office 2006–2014 |
|
| Preceded by | Gregory C. Farrington |
| Succeeded by | Kevin L. Clayton (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alice Petry Gast
May 25, 1958 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | October 27, 2025 (aged 67) |
| Spouse | Bradley J. Askins |
| Children | 2 |
| Residences | London, England |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California (BS) Princeton University (MA, PhD) |
| Profession | Academic, researcher |
| Website | https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/alice.gast |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | chemical engineering |
| Institutions | |
| Thesis | A study of polymer-induced phase transitions in colloidal suspensions (1984) |
| Doctoral advisors | William B. Russel Carol K. Hall |
Alice Petry Gast FREng (May 25, 1958 – October 27, 2025) was an important American researcher and leader in education. She was known for being the 16th president of Imperial College London, a famous university in the UK. Before that, she was the 13th president of Lehigh University in the U.S. She also served as a board member for Chevron. The American Institute of Chemical Engineers recognized her as one of the top 100 "Modern Era" engineers in the U.S. for her leadership.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alice Gast was born in Houston, Texas, in 1958. She was a very bright student and graduated at the top of her class from the University of Southern California in 1980 with a degree in chemical engineering. She continued her studies at Princeton University, earning her master's degree in 1981 and her PhD in chemical engineering in 1984. Her PhD research focused on how tiny particles behave in liquids.
Career and Research Journey
After finishing her PhD, Dr. Gast spent a year in Paris, France, doing advanced research. From 1985 to 2001, she taught at Stanford University. Later, she moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she held important leadership roles, including overseeing research, before becoming president of Lehigh University in 2006.
Her research mainly explored how surfaces and liquids interact, especially with complex fluids. She studied things like how tiny particles group together and how proteins behave on surfaces. She also co-authored a well-known textbook called Physical Chemistry of Surfaces.
Leading Imperial College London
Dr. Gast became the president of Imperial College London on September 1, 2014. In this role, she guided the university's plans, including developing a large new campus called Imperial West. She also worked to strengthen the college's connections with the government, businesses, and supporters.
Professor Hugh Brady took over as president of Imperial College London in August 2022, following Dr. Gast's leadership.
How Imperial College London is Led
In 2012, Imperial College London changed its leadership structure. They created two main roles: a president and a provost. The president focuses on the university's relationships with the outside world, like government and businesses. The provost is in charge of the academic side, making sure teaching and research are excellent. This two-leader system is used by many other top universities around the world, like MIT and Harvard.
Leading Lehigh University
From August 2006 to August 2014, Dr. Gast was the 13th president of Lehigh University. During her time there, Lehigh created a new plan for the university's future. They also successfully raised a lot of money to support the university's programs and growth.
Dr. Gast also helped Lehigh University expand its campus and its involvement with the local community. She increased the university's global connections and started new ways for students to learn, like the Mountaintop Campus initiative.
Supporting International Learning
In 2011, Lee Iacocca, a famous automotive executive and a Lehigh alumnus, donated $5 million to create a new international internship program. This program gave Lehigh students chances to work and research in other countries. Dr. Gast believed this gift would help students understand the challenges of our connected world.
Promoting Student Well-being
In 2011, Lehigh University joined a special program with other top schools. This program, supported by a national institute, aimed to help students make safe and healthy choices and promote their overall well-being. Dr. Gast was part of a group of university presidents working on this important topic.
Making Lehigh More Sustainable
In 2009, Dr. Gast made a strong commitment to protecting the environment. She signed the Lehigh University Climate Commitment, making environmental sustainability a top priority for the university. This meant creating plans to improve the environment through teaching, research, and how the university operates.
Important Contributions and Roles
Sharing Educational Ideas
In 2010, Dr. Gast shared her knowledge about education at the Lord Dearing Memorial Conference. This event brought together experienced educators to discuss the future of learning. She spoke about how global economic changes affect higher education.
Serving as a U.S. Science Envoy
In 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chose Dr. Gast as one of three new science envoys for the U.S. Her job was to encourage global cooperation in science and technology. She traveled to regions like Central Asia to share scientific knowledge and build connections. She then advised the White House and the State Department based on her experiences.
Reviewing Scientific Evidence for a National Investigation
In February 2011, Dr. Gast led a group of 16 scientists who reviewed scientific evidence related to a serious national investigation from 2001. This investigation looked into the origins of certain materials that had caused harm. The panel's job was to examine the scientific methods used and determine if the scientific conclusions were appropriate.
Dr. Gast explained that while the scientific evidence was consistent with the investigation's findings, it wasn't completely definitive on its own. She highlighted how science and law enforcement often work together on complex cases. The panel reviewed thousands of pages of information. Their expertise included microbiology, medicine, and forensic science. They concluded that they couldn't rule out other possible sources for the materials based solely on the scientific data.
Professional Groups and Boards
Dr. Gast was a member of many important national committees and boards. These included the board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She was also a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the American Physical Society.
In 2012, Dr. Gast was elected to the board of directors for Chevron Corporation, a major energy company. She helped guide the company's decisions.
She also worked with the U.S. Manufacturing Competitiveness Initiative, helping to find ways to improve American industry and create jobs. She was the Chair of the World Economic Forum Global University Leaders' Forum.
Science and Safety in a Changing World
In 2006, Dr. Gast co-led a committee that wrote a report about how scientific research and national safety can work together. The report suggested that sometimes government rules on scientific research could accidentally make it harder for the nation to innovate or protect itself.
Dr. Gast and her co-author wrote that scientists and safety officials should work together to create policies that balance scientific freedom with national security. They recommended creating a special group to help achieve this balance.
Investing in Science for the Future
In 2009, Dr. Gast wrote an article in Science magazine about how money for scientific research should be spent. She cautioned that short-term funding, like that from economic stimulus packages, might not be enough for big, important discoveries.
She explained that truly groundbreaking changes need long-term investment in science education and research. While quick projects are good for immediate jobs, she argued that major breakthroughs often take many years. She emphasized the importance of continuing to fund science consistently for future innovations.
Personal Life
Alice Gast was married to Bradley J. Askins, a computer scientist. They had two children, Rebecca and David. Dr. Gast passed away on October 27, 2025, at the age of 67.
Awards and Recognitions
Dr. Gast received many awards for her achievements. These included the NAS Award for Initiatives in Research, the Colburn Award, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. In 1998, she received the Humboldt Research Award.
She was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2001 for her work on understanding complex fluids and for her contributions to engineering education. In 2002, she became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In 2008, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers named her one of the top 100 "Modern Era" engineers in the U.S. for her leadership. In 2019, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng).
She also received honorary degrees from several universities, including the University of Western Ontario and Notre Dame.
