Professor Mary Ryan
Biography
Mary Ryan is the Vice Provost for Research and Enterprise and the Armourers and Brasiers’ Chair in Materials Science at Imperial College London. Mary completed her undergraduate studies, earning Joint Honors in Mathematics and Physics, at the University of Manchester, before pursuing both an MSc and a PhD in Materials Science. She then joined Brookhaven National Lab in New York as a research scientist, specialising in synchrotron techniques for electrochemical systems.
She joined Imperial College London in 1998. Her leadership extends to guiding Imperial College’s sustainability research strategy, particularly focusing on the Transition to Zero Pollution initiative. Additionally, she holds the role of Director at the Imperial/Shell University Technology Centre for Advanced Materials.
Complementing her academic responsibilities, Mary is actively engaged in various advisory roles, including Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Research Complex at Harwell. She is a member of several esteemed organizations, including the Royal Academy of Engineering, The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining, and the Institute of Corrosion. Her extensive body of work, consisting of over 200 published papers, reflects her expertise in electrochemical materials science and nanoscale materials. Mary’s contributions to the field have earned her distinguished recognition, including her election as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2015 and her appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honors for her outstanding contributions to Materials Science.
Non-executive Director
Non-Executive Directors are part of the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s Board and help provide strategic oversight.