Mary is responsible for developing and providing leadership to the delivery of the College’s research and enterprise strategy, and for enhancing the quality, impact, management and delivery of research in the College. Mary is Professor of Materials Science and Nanotechnology and holds the Armourers & Brasiers’ Chair in Materials Science in the Department of Materials.

Mary is a member of the University Management Board.  She is responsible for developing and delivering the College’s research and enterprise strategy across all the faculties (Engineering, Natural Sciences, Medicine and the Business School). Imperial’s total annual research budget is £475 million, we engage with 500+ corporate partners and have 130 active start-ups. Our overarching aim is to achieve enduring excellence in research and enterprise for the benefit of society and we have the greatest concentration of high-impact research of any major UK university (according to REF 2014). Mary’s role is to enhance the quality, impact, management and delivery of research and the main areas of focus include: nurturing research talent, sustaining world-class core academic disciplines, fostering multidisciplinary research, establishing effective partnerships and ensuring our research informs, influences and delivers impact. To enable this, we need to have world-class research facilities and infrastructure, a vibrant and healthy research environment and adequate research funding. In terms of translation Mary’s focus includes developing our entrepreneurial and partnerships eco-system via our corporate partnerships, technology transfer and spinouts, and technology foresight.

Chief Scientific Advisers Lecture Series

Solutions to the global societal challenges we all face – climate change, the impact of Artificial Intelligence, and ageing populations – all require extensive science and engineering research. Yet there are challenges pulling through academic expertise into the hands of the decision-makers in national governments. Only through open dialogue and improved collaboration between academia and government can we ensure that the best evidence supports decisions affecting us all. The Imperial Policy Forum runs a Science and Policymaking series hosted by Professor Mary Ryan, bringing government Chief Scientific Advisors (CSAs) to Imperial College. Imperial staff and students hear first-hand the challenges and opportunities for scientists working in government and how their research can be used to evidence policymaking across a wide range of topics. 

Past events include: 

• Dr Mike Short, CSA at the Department for International Trade
• Professor Dame Angela McLean, (then) CSA at the Ministry of Defence

Find out about upcoming CSA events and other events hosted by the Imperial Policy Forum

Vice-Provost's Community Messages and News

• Professor Mary Ryan has accepted appointment as Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) with effect from 1 August 2022 for a term of office of five years – 15 July 2022. 
• Imperial and Hitachi to launch decarbonisation research centre – 11 July 2022
• Imperial and The World Bank aim to unlock investment for just energy transition – 24 June 2022
• Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours recognise Imperial academics – 02 June 2022
• Imperial research is best in UK, finds REF 2021 – 12 May 2022
• Imperial’s White City campus named as location for NATO innovation headquarters – 08 April 2022 
• ERC President visits Imperial as latest European grant award success celebrated – 17 March 2022

Video messages to the Imperial Community

• March 2022: REF 2021: Imperial research is best in UK