Alice Gast facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alice Gast
FREng
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Speaking at the World Economic Forum's Global Technology Governance Summit 2021
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| 16th President of Imperial College London | |
| In office September 1, 2014 – July 31, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Keith O'Nions |
| Succeeded by | Hugh Brady |
| 13th President of Lehigh University | |
| In office 2006–2014 |
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| Preceded by | Gregory C. Farrington |
| Succeeded by | Kevin L. Clayton (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alice Petry Gast
May 25, 1958 Houston, Texas, US |
| 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 (born May 25, 1958) is an American scientist and researcher. She was the 16th president of Imperial College London, a famous university in the UK. She also serves on the board of directors for Chevron, a large energy company. The American Institute of Chemical Engineers named her one of the top 100 "Modern Era" engineers in the US for her great leadership.
Becoming a Chemical Engineer
Alice Gast was born in Houston, Texas, USA. She was a brilliant student and graduated as the top student (valedictorian) from the University of Southern California in 1980. She earned her bachelor's degree in chemical engineering.
She continued her studies at Princeton University. There, she earned her master's degree in 1981 and her PhD in chemical engineering in 1984. Her PhD research was about how tiny particles in liquids change their behavior.
Her Career and Research Work
After getting her PhD, Alice 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). At MIT, she was in charge of research and academic programs.
Her main research focused on how surfaces and liquids interact. She studied how tiny particles group together and how proteins behave on surfaces. She also looked at how enzymes (special proteins) react on surfaces. She even co-wrote a well-known textbook called Physical Chemistry of Surfaces.
Leading Imperial College London
Alice Gast became the president of Imperial College London on September 1, 2014. She was in charge of the college's overall plan and helped develop its new campus, Imperial West. She also worked to strengthen the college's connections with the government, businesses, and supporters.
In September 2021, Professor Hugh Brady was chosen to take over as president. He started his role in August 2022.
Leading Lehigh University
Before joining Imperial College, Alice Gast was the 13th president of Lehigh University in the US. She served there from August 2006 to August 2014.
During her time at Lehigh, she helped the university create a new plan for its future. She also led successful fundraising efforts, bringing in a lot of money for the university. She expanded the university's campus and helped it become more involved internationally. She also started new ways for students to learn, like the Mountaintop Campus initiative.
Supporting Global Learning
In 2011, a famous business leader named Lee Iacocca, who went to Lehigh University, donated $5 million. This money helped create a new program for students to gain international work experience. Students could do internships or research in other countries.
Alice Gast said this gift would help students "gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges that exist in an interdependent and highly connected global society." This means students would learn about problems in a world where everyone is connected.
Focus on a Greener Campus
In 2009, Alice Gast made a promise to make environmental sustainability a top priority at Lehigh University. She signed the Lehigh University Climate Commitment on Earth Day.
This commitment meant the university would create plans to protect and improve the environment through its teaching, research, and daily operations. Gast believed that protecting the environment was something the entire Lehigh community should strongly support.
Helping the U.S. Government
In 2010, Alice Gast was chosen as one of three new science envoys by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Her job was to encourage the US to work with other countries in science and technology. She traveled to places like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. She shared her insights with the White House and the State Department.
Reviewing the Anthrax Case
In February 2011, Alice Gast led a group of 16 scientists. They reviewed the scientific evidence from the FBI's investigation into the 2001 anthrax attacks. These attacks involved letters with anthrax spores that killed five people and made 17 others sick after the September 11 attacks.
The panel said that science alone could not definitively prove where the anthrax came from. Gast explained that the case involved both science and law enforcement. The panel reviewed thousands of pages of information. They concluded that they could not rule out other possible sources for the anthrax spores.
Professional Groups and Boards
Alice Gast is a member of many important national committees and boards. These include the board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Research Council Committee for Science, Technology, and the Law. She is also part of the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the American Physical Society.
In October 2012, Gast was elected to the board of directors for the Chevron Corporation. This is one of the world's largest energy companies. John Watson, Chevron's chairman, said that Dr. Gast's knowledge would be a great addition to their board.
She is also involved with the World Economic Forum, helping to lead discussions about global universities and the future of technology.
Science and Security
In 2006, Alice Gast helped write a report called "Science and Security in a Post 911 World." This report looked at how government policies might accidentally make it harder for the US to compete economically and protect itself.
She and her co-author suggested that scientists and security officials should work together. They believed this would help create policies that balance scientific research with national security needs.
Thoughts on Science Funding
In March 2009, Gast wrote an article in Science magazine. She warned about how short-term funding for scientific research might be spent. She said that big changes in science need long-term investment, not just quick fixes.
She believed that while "shovel ready" projects (those that can start quickly) are good for creating jobs, scientific breakthroughs take time. Gast emphasized that the US needs to invest in long-term research and education to find solutions to future challenges.
Awards and Honors
Alice Gast has received many awards for her achievements:
- The NAS Award for Initiatives in Research
- The Colburn Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
- The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher Scholar Award
- A Guggenheim Fellowship
- The Humboldt Research Award (1998)
In 2001, she was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. This was for her work on understanding how complex liquids behave. In 2002, she became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In October 2008, she was named one of the top 100 "Modern Era" engineers in the US by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. In 2019, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng).
She has also received honorary degrees from several universities, including the University of Western Ontario and Tsinghua University.
Personal Life
Alice Gast is married to Bradley J. Askins, who is a computer scientist. They have two children, Rebecca and David.
