Richard Lester is the Japan Steel Industry Professor and Associate Provost at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he oversees the international activities of the Institute. From 2009 to 2015 he served as head of MIT’s Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering. He is the founding director and faculty chair of the MIT Industrial Performance Center. Professor Lester’s research focuses on innovation strategy and management, applied most recently to the problem of deep decarbonization of the energy sector. He is also widely known for his research on nuclear technology innovation, management and control. Dr. Lester holds an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Imperial College and a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from MIT. He is the author or co-author of eight books, including Unlocking Energy Innovation: How America Can Build a Low-Cost, Low-Carbon Energy System, and The Productive Edge: A New Strategy for Economic Growth. From 2015 to 2019 he served as chair of the National Academies’ Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy.
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