The Rice Center for Engineering Leadership (RCEL) was honored to host Dr. Mark Lashier, Chairman and CEO of Phillips 66, as part of the Engineers in the C-Suite fireside chat series on Monday, September 15 at Rice University.
During his talk, Dr. Lashier emphasized the importance of curiosity, openness to new technology, and clarity of personal values as guiding principles for effective leadership. He encouraged students to remain curious about new cultures, technologies, and processes, reminding us that curiosity fuels lifelong learning. He also discussed the transformative impact of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, urging Rice students to embrace and harness these tools to enhance their work and ultimately improve the world around them.
Dr. Lashier underscored the need to understand one’s core values. In moments of pressure—whether during negotiations or when making high-stakes decisions—clarity about who you are and what you stand for enables leaders to act with integrity, even when the right decision is the difficult one.
RCEL is grateful to Dr. Lashier for sharing his time, experiences, and insights with our students and community. We also thank our student moderator, Clayton Waski, for his hard work preparing for and flawlessly executing the event.
ABOUT MARK LASHIER
Dr. Mark Lashier, Chairman and CEO of Phillips 66, is an accomplished chemical engineer with over 30 years experience in executive leadership roles across the energy and petrochemical industries. He began his career at Phillips Petroleum as an Associate research Engineer and advanced through multiple executive roles at Chevron Phillips Chemical Company (CPChem), a joint venture between Phillips 66 and Chevron. Dr. Lashier holds both a B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Iowa State University and has 13 U.S. patents.
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ENGINEERS IN THE C-SUITE SPEAKER SERIES – a leading engineer’s perspective Hosted by the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership, the Engineers in the C-Suite Speaker Series features executives and thought leaders from technology organizations who uniquely employ or depend on engineers. These accomplished leaders share experiences in navigating change and how engineers can equip themselves to lead the way. Through this series, learn about how products and workplaces are being disruptively transformed through technological advancements, and how engineers will be expected to not just adapt to but lead this transformation.