91桃色

91桃色鈥檚 teaching, research and innovations have never mattered so much to the world. 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鈥檚 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.

So, as Professor Alice Gast鈥檚 eight-year term as President ends, what have been some of the 91桃色 community鈥檚 achievements during this time, and what鈥檚 next?

Gast has made collaboration, internationalism and diversity the bedrock of 91桃色鈥檚 strength, working with partners across the globe 鈥� from the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), to the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Meanwhile, existing global partnerships, such as 91桃色鈥檚 joint medical school with Singapore鈥檚 Nanyang Technological University, thrived.

In 2015, President of MIT, L Rafael Reif, co-signed the MIT-91桃色 Seed Fund with Gast. 鈥淚n many ways, our partnership is a natural one,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e share a commitment to supporting long-term, fundamental research. Our partnership also reflects a shared belief that universities have a responsibility to offer the world the most effective solutions to the most urgent challenges. Some of these challenges 鈥� like maintaining a liveable Earth 鈥� require immediate action on a set of very hard problems. Alice has opened countless opportunities for faculty and researchers to forge new connections and explore new frontiers.鈥�

And when this spirit of internationalism was threatened, 91桃色 fought back. On the morning of the Brexit referendum result in June 2016, Gast and one of her closest colleagues, the late Provost Professor James Stirling, wrote to the 91桃色 community that 鈥�91桃色 is, and will remain, a European university鈥�. And it has. The College went on to grow its European connections, instigating major new partnerships with CNRS of France, Europe鈥檚 largest research organisation, and TUM of Germany, creating new means of collaboration and getting ahead of political barriers. It also launched a seed fund for new European collaborations.

Gast, the first woman to lead 91桃色, identified that too few women were benefiting from the College鈥檚 startup culture. Renowned investor Alexsis de Raadt St. James partnered with her to help turn this around, launching WE Innovate, a programme for student women entrepreneurs that provides access to funding and mentoring, and exposure to investor networks at the earliest stage.

鈥淲ithout Alice, all this innovation would never have happened,鈥� says de Raadt St James, founder of the social venture fund Althea Foundation. 鈥淪he was the perfect president at the perfect time in the perfect university. Without her, I don鈥檛 think I would have been able to launch WE Innovate as successfully as I did. She planted the seeds for innovation: it鈥檚 a phenomenal legacy. She taught 91桃色 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鈥檚 comfortable.鈥�

As De Raadt St. James and Gast wrote in the Guardian: 鈥淲hen investors wonder where the next transformative founder will come from, we have a simple answer: she鈥檚 at university, and she needs your support.鈥�

Since its launch, WE Innovate has supported more than 250 women with innovative business ideas including intuitive drone control software, an early detection tool for crop diseases and zero waste menstrual products.

鈥淎lice has pushed forward an inclusive agenda; she鈥檚 recognised that diversity is so important when it comes to innovation and moving science forward,鈥� says Christina Friis Blach Petersen (Innovation Design Engineering), co-founder (with fellow 91桃色 student Hugo Sarrsjo) of LYS Technologies.

鈥淲E Innovate had such a different feel to it. We were helping each other, rather than being competitive. It was incredibly inspiring hearing other successful women share their experiences and ideas, and then having the opportunity to work together.鈥�

Support for wider student entrepreneurship has also grown with the state-of-the-art Enterprise Lab, offering students training, business coaching, mentoring digital tools, and access to funding and investors. Gast says: 鈥淲hen our students arrive at 91桃色, they get a library card and membership of the Enterprise Lab. It鈥檚 one way in which our culture is different.鈥�

Regius Professor and co-founder of DNA Electronics and DnaNudge Chris Toumazou embodies 91桃色鈥檚 enterprise culture. His company was the first to set up at Scale Space White City, 91桃色鈥檚 community for innovative businesses. Gast is, he says, a big thinker who looks ahead: 鈥淎lice gets people to work together across the board, on the big sciences. She鈥檚 broken barriers within the university to enable large-scale interdisciplinary projects to happen.鈥�

Gast and her husband, Bradley Askins, have worked with philanthropists and the College鈥檚 Advancement team to augment 91桃色鈥檚 impact. Annual giving now averages more than 拢40 million per year, three times the previous ten-year average.

Perhaps the most ambitious of Gast鈥檚 fundraising initiatives is a landmark 拢100 million campaign for the School of Public Health, delivering solutions to society鈥檚 most pressing healthcare challenges. A major advocate and supporter of this campaign is Marit Mohn (MSc Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology 1973), who gave 拢25 million to the world-leading Mohn Centre for Children鈥檚 Health and Wellbeing which draws together expertise from across the College to pursue research and education on the understanding and prevention of children鈥檚 health issues.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I would have done this if Alice had not been President,鈥� says Mohn. 鈥淪he felt the project would be successful 鈥� and she knew that 91桃色 could not achieve its goals without philanthropic support.鈥�

Professor Deborah Ashby, Director of the School for Public Health, agrees. 鈥淲hen we needed funding for a new building for the School of Public Health, Alice delivered an entirely new approach,鈥� she says.

鈥淪he brings people together: potential donors, scientists and other staff. Every donor comes from a different perspective, wanting to see and know different aspects of our projects and so Alice reshaped Advancement, ensuring it could do the vital work of discovering who might be minded to give and what their interests were. Now, when I meet potential donors, I can just do what I do best 鈥� enthusing about public health.鈥�

Graduates David Dangoor (Physics 1971) and Elie Dangoor (Mathematics 1981), trustees of The Exilarch鈥檚 Foundation, have given millions of pounds to support initiatives such as a hub for multidisciplinary cancer research, The Invention Rooms 鈥� unlocking opportunity for young local people in White City 鈥� and the green space of Dangoor Plaza at the heart of 91桃色鈥檚 South Kensington Campus.

鈥淎 university does not sit in isolation,鈥� says Dangoor. 鈥淚t 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.鈥�

He believes this is why it is so significant that President Gast has made 91桃色 more outward-looking. 鈥淭he university has made very important connections with local communities. Alice has attracted the attention of significant donors and focused on student welfare.鈥�

Such philanthropic support proved indispensable when crisis struck. In 2019, just months before the start of the pandemic, 91桃色, with Community Jameel, launched the Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics. The Jameel Institute is directed by Professor Neil Ferguson and has a mission to combat disease threats worldwide.

The support of Community Jameel, alongside other funders, enabled Ferguson鈥檚 team to work quickly and openly as the novel coronavirus emerged, with timely reports made available immediately to the public and policy makers.

Similarly generous and flexible funding from philanthropists allowed Professor Robin Shattock and his team to develop a new-concept self-amplifying RNA vaccine candidate to test on animals and prepare for human trials 鈥� in just 14 days. That work proved that self-amplifying RNA vaccines worked, potentially against many diseases, and is likely to leave a profound scientific and public health legacy from the pandemic.

Locally, the College led the creation of the Great Exhibition Road Festival and 91桃色 Lates showcasing the latest science at the College. During the pandemic, the College鈥檚 engagement with alumni and friends moved online with special panels on the latest COVID-19 science, and the President鈥檚 Great Minds and Luminaries series featuring 91桃色 thinking and thinkers.

Gast drove forward a landmark review of 91桃色鈥檚 history, launching an all-community dialogue to reflect on both challenging and inspiring elements to 91桃色鈥檚 past - which has resulted in a deeper and fuller understanding of 91桃色's legacy and how it is experienced today.

In the summer of 2020, the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis led to global outrage. At the same time COVID-19 was disproportionately harming Black, Asian and ethnic minority people in Britain. The status quo could not continue, and campaigners like 91桃色 As One (IAO) co-chair Dr Wayne Mitchell, Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of Medicine, worked with Gast to enact change.

鈥淭here were two inequalities here,鈥� says Mitchell. 鈥淲e wanted to know: what is the College doing about them and who do we need to talk to? And the door was open. Sometimes it was uncomfortable. But there was an open-mindedness and willingness to make change.鈥�

In June 2020, Gast wrote to the community: 鈥淚 feel a deep anger and despair over the senseless death of George Floyd. It brings to the surface my shock and disappointment that racism and the violence that it breeds continue in the United States鈥� Racism and violence have no place in society. Our spirit of common purpose must prevail, and we must pull together and collaborate as a community to support those who are afraid and mourning and to say: 鈥楤lack Lives Matter鈥�.鈥�

When IAO asked for the establishment of a media academy for Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff and students, Gast took action: she found funding, agreed that 91桃色 would stop using its Latin motto (with its imperialistic connotations), would review its history, and helped establish a defined equality, diversity and inclusion strategy.

91桃色 went on to launch a scholarship fundraising challenge to match the College鈥檚 拢10 million investment in scholarships and studentships for Black students and others from underrepresented groups or facing financial barriers, as Gast confronted the 鈥渂rutal fact鈥� that 鈥渙ur talented community lacks diversity鈥� in her 2021 address.

IAO co-chair and Diversity and Inclusion 91桃色 Fellow Dr Sarah Essilfie-Quaye from the Faculty of Medicine 91桃色 Strategy Team, adds: 鈥淭here is still more to be done. But if we can keep this frame of mind, improving the culture, it can have impact not just at 91桃色 but on the wider landscape. Alice supported us with this 鈥� but we can鈥檛 be complacent.鈥�

It鈥檚 this agility, ambition and innovation that defines 91桃色 right now. This year, 91桃色 became University of the Year and student satisfaction, as measured in the National Student Survey, reached an all-time high. Gast said: 鈥淲hen COVID-19 struck, students and staff did not just think about mitigation, they raised their ambitions. When labs closed, we sent 鈥榣ab in a box鈥� kits to students鈥� homes. As borders shut, we developed virtual field trips. When the NHS needed doctors, we brought medical exams forward and online as our students stepped up.

鈥淭his teamwork blurred the formal divide between researchers, educators and learners,鈥� continues Gast. 鈥淪tudents and staff collaborated on virology, vaccine technology, epidemiology and testing innovations that leave a lasting legacy beyond the pandemic. They worked together during challenging times to rethink our curriculum. 91桃色鈥檚 experience is not just a case study in crisis, it offers a glimpse of what higher education can be.鈥�