Alex Gilbert
Director of Space & Planetary Regulation, Zeno Power
Alex Gilbert is a complex systems researcher with expertise in nuclear innovation, space mining, energy markets, and climate policy. Drawing on interdisciplinary methods and stakeholder engagement, he catalyzes development of advanced clean energy and other natural resource technologies.
As the Director of Space & Planetary Regulation at Zeno Power, Alex oversees regulatory approvals for space launch, maritime, and terrestrial applications of radioisotope power systems. In addition to supply chain licensing of nuclear facilities, he leads development of novel regulatory pathways for commerical and government clients for safe operations in austere environments.
Previously, Alex was Project Manager at the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, leading research and advocacy to commercialize advanced nuclear reactors to mitigate climate change. He was lead author of the U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Strategy, which outlined how government and industry can establish U.S. leadership in next generation nuclear reactor markets.
As an academic practitioner, Alex is a Fellow with the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines, analyzing energy markets, energy security, and outer space public policy. He is a PhD candidate in Space Resources at the Colorado School of Mines, combining engineering and public policy to advance space resources, space environmental governance, and space nuclear power. His space-focused research has been published in Science, Space Policy, The Space Force Journal, and Scientific American.
Alex has a Master of Space Resources from the Colorado School of Mines, a Master of Energy Regulation and Law from Vermont Law School, and a B.A. in Environmental Studies and International Relations from Lake Forest College. He is also Adjunct Faculty at Johns Hopkins University co-teaching a graduate course on nuclear power technology, law, and regulation.