NERC Council member
Dr Alice Bunn OBE is a member of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Council.
Alice is President of UKSpace, the trade association representing the UK’s space industry. She leads the sector’s national voice on policy, growth, skills and international collaboration, drawing on more than 25 years of senior leadership across the UK and global space ecosystem.
Alice previously served as Chief Executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) until September 2025, where she:
- oversaw a major strategic and financial turnaround
- strengthened the organisation’s global footprint
- enhanced its impact in promoting engineering for societal benefit
Before joining the IMechE, Alice held a series of senior roles at the UK Space Agency, including International Director and Director of Policy. She delivered record levels of UK investment in the European Space Agency, established the UK’s first multilateral space programme for science, security and trade, and authored the UK’s first National Space Policy. She also led major public engagement initiatives, including the national education programme linked to Tim Peake’s mission.
Her earlier career spans:
- Earth observation strategy
- international disaster response coordination
- cross‑government geospatial policy
- research funding
- public science communication
Alice has extensive governance experience as a former:
- Chair of the UK’s Professional Engineering Committee
- Vice‑Chair of the European Space Agency Council
- Board Director of the US Space Foundation
She was also a longstanding member of the World Economic Forum Council on Space Technology.
Alice is a Fellow of both the IMechE and the Royal Aeronautical Society. She is currently Chair of the drowning prevention charity, SwimTayka, and sits on the advisory board of the think tank Strategy International Ltd.
Alice holds a PhD in Metallurgy from the University of Cambridge and was awarded an OBE in 2022 for services to the UK space sector and to charity.
Last updated: 1 April 2026