Imperial Global USA Advisory Council has been officially launched in San Francisco. The new council brings together top scientists, founders, investors, and policy experts from California’s technology ecosystem. Its main goal is to strengthen innovation links between the United Kingdom and the United States.
The council supports Imperial Global USA, which is the first physical presence of Imperial College London in the United States. It is a key part of the university’s international growth strategy and long-term global research plan.
The first meeting was held in San Francisco. It was chaired by Wendy Tan White, CEO of Intrinsic, a company under Alphabet. She joined Imperial College London President Professor Hugh Brady and Vice-President Amanda Wolthuizen for the launch meeting.
The Imperial Global USA Advisory Council will focus on building a strong innovation bridge between London and the San Francisco Bay Area. The aim is to connect research talent, funding networks, and advanced technology development across both regions.
Members said the Bay Area and London each offer different strengths. London has deep academic research. The Bay Area has strong investment and fast-moving tech industries. The council hopes to combine both ecosystems for faster innovation.
The council highlighted major areas of focus. These include artificial intelligence, robotics, engineering biology, advanced materials, quantum technology, and space science. These fields are also key research strengths at Imperial College London.
A major discussion point was the rise of hardware-driven innovation. Members said that AI and advanced computing are now merging with physical science and engineering. This combination is helping to create new technologies in materials, biology, and quantum systems.
The council also supported WestTech London. This is a new innovation ecosystem in West London linked to Imperial’s science and research centres. It is designed to support startups, research, and commercial growth in deep technology sectors.
Members believe WestTech London can work with the Bay Area to form a global innovation corridor. This would help move scientific ideas faster from labs into real-world applications.
The council includes well-known global experts. Among them are Kimberly Budil from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Rui Costa from the Allen Institute, and Michael Jewett from Stanford University. Other members include leaders from space, climate, quantum computing, and venture capital sectors.
Imperial College London also has senior academic leaders on the council. These include Professor Hugh Brady, Amanda Wolthuizen, and Professor Mary Ryan. Together, they will guide research partnerships and global engagement.
The council is also supported by academic leads across seven research themes. These cover health, engineering, environment, space, and bioengineering. Their role is to build global partnerships and develop solutions for major scientific challenges.
During the first meeting, the council heard a presentation from Imperial PhD student Tommaso Barba. He spoke about psychedelics research and its potential use in mental health treatment. He recently completed research work at the University of California, San Francisco.
Professor Hugh Brady said the world is at a key moment for science and technology. He said new technologies like AI are changing what is possible in research and innovation. He added that Imperial Global USA will help direct this progress toward global challenges.
Wendy Tan White said she is proud to support the initiative. She said Imperial has made strong progress over the past decades by combining research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She added that the council will help strengthen global cooperation.
The launch of the Imperial Global USA Advisory Council follows several recent visits by Imperial leadership across California. These included meetings with British diplomatic officials in Los Angeles to discuss science collaboration and innovation.
Talks also focused on areas such as space research, artificial intelligence, health science, biosecurity, and clean energy. These topics are becoming central to global research partnerships.
Imperial representatives also attended the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony in Los Angeles. The event brought together leading scientists and technology figures from around the world.
In addition, Imperial alumni were hosted at a reception in Los Angeles. The university also visited SpaceX, where alumni working in space programs showcased current projects. This highlighted the strong global network of Imperial graduates in top US technology companies.
The new council marks a major step in expanding Imperial’s global presence. It aims to connect two of the world’s most powerful innovation regions through shared science, talent, and technology development.
