Rate My Professor Alyssa Gilbert

Alyssa Gilbert serves as Director of Innovation at the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment at Imperial College London, where she leads efforts to accelerate the creation, development, and scaling of innovative solutions addressing the climate crisis. She is also Director of Undaunted, Imperial College London’s climate change innovation centre developed in partnership with the Royal Institution. Previously, Gilbert was Director of Policy and Translation at the Grantham Institute. In recent roles, she has taken on co-Director responsibilities for the School of Convergence Science in Sustainability and leads engagement activities for CO₂RE, the UK’s Greenhouse Gas Removal Hub. Her work operates at the critical interface between science and policy, translating research from diverse fields including natural sciences, engineering, policy analysis, and economics to inform stakeholders and drive environmental improvements and climate action.

Gilbert brings extensive experience in climate policy, having worked on environmental and climate change issues across multiple countries such as China, France, Spain, Romania, Morocco, the UK, and the US. Her career includes positions with the Deputy Mayor of London and as a journalist specializing in environmental policy in Brussels. She chaired the COP26 Universities Network, growing its membership from seven to over 80 universities and establishing a enduring platform for climate impact. Additionally, she has served on NERC’s advisory network and Strategic Programme Advisory Group. Educated at the University of Cambridge, her research interests focus on climate change innovation and entrepreneurship. In recognition of her contributions, Gilbert received Imperial College London’s President’s Award for Leadership in Societal Engagement for promoting staff engagement with wider audiences and maximizing the influence of Imperial’s expertise on policy and business towards a sustainable future. Through these initiatives, she ensures academic evidence shapes real-world responses to environmental challenges.