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MEET DR. JAY GOLDEN
Founder & Faculty Director

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Dr. Jay Golden is the inaugural Pontarelli Professor of Environmental Sustainability and Finance at Syracuse University. Dr. Golden is an internationally recognized researcher and academic of the dynamics of the global sustainability transition including risks, unintended consequences and opportunities.   He is the author of the recently published book:  Dynamic Sustainability: Implications for Markets, Policy and National Security.

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Golden received his Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Cambridge and his master's degree in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Development from a joint program of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Cambridge. He also holds a Professional Mastery of Project Management Certificate from Stanford University, an MLE in Higher Education from Harvard, and has a B.A. degree in Management.

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Golden comes to Syracuse after serving as a faculty member, director of research centers and university executive. Golden was one of the first faculty members in the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University where he also founded and directed the National Center of Excellence on SMART Innovations . Golden later founded and co-directed the Sustainability Consortium, a leading academic-industry-government partnership on Corporate Sustainability with a membership of over 150 of the world’s leading manufacturers, retailers and brands.

 

At Duke University, Dr. Golden was the faculty chair of the Business & Environment Program and Director of the Duke Center for Sustainability and Commerce.  Golden also served as Associate Vice Provost for Research and was appointed Executive-in-Charge of the Duke Corporate Relations Office working with global companies, CEOs and Boards.

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Golden was named Vice Chancellor and professor of sustainable engineering at East Carolina University a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina (UNC) system and later served as the President of Wichita State University. 

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Author of more than 150 articles and reports, Golden has participated in 100 invited presentations and more than 150 media interviews around the world. He has testified before Congress on sustainability and secured more than $100 million in research funding. 

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Golden was presented the Faculty Pioneer Award by the Aspen Institute for his leadership in the field of sustainability education and research. He was also named one of the 100 most influential people in business ethics by the Ethisphere Institute. Dr. Golden was inducted in the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society and Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society.

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In 2017, Golden was appointed to the Board of Scientific Counselors for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where he served on the executive board until 2024.  He has also served on a number of boards and committees including regional and state economic development and innovation councils as well as serving on committees for the United Nations Environment Programme.​

RESEARCH

technical bulletin

SUSTAINABLE FUELS AND THE AVIATION SECTOR

dr. jay golden

The global commercial airline industry in 2021 made bold commitments to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Sustainable aviation fuels will play a critical role in this transition.  

technical bulletin

BUSINESS CASE OF THE GREEN CHEMISTRY INDUSTRY

dr. jay golden

Share of green chemistry-marketed personal care and household products grew 12.6 times faster than conventional counterparts from 2015 to 2019.

report

ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS OF THE US BIOBASED PRODUCTS INDUSTRY

dr. jay golden

This analysis demonstrates how the biobased industry is a substantial generator of economic activity and jobs, and has a significant positive impact on the environment.

article

MAKING SURE THE BLUE ECONOMY IS GREEN

dr. jay golden, et al.

Given the growing and seemingly limitless capacity to industrialize the oceans, there is a need to reimagine how to effectively measure, monitor and sustainably manage this seventy-one per cent of the Earth's surface.

article

SUSTAINABILITY IN AN URBANIZING PLANET

dr. jay golden, et al.

Sustainability science is use-inspired fundamental research that links knowledge to action such that meeting the needs of society can be balanced with sustaining the life support systems of the planet. Nowhere is this action-oriented research needed more than in urban areas that are now home to more than half of the world's population, generating about 80% of

the world's economy as well as over 70% of global energy use and global energy-related emissions.

ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGING WITH DR. GOLDEN
  • Walmart, Best Buy, Asda (UK)

  • Lotte (S. Korea)

  • Cemex (Mexico)

  • BASF (Ludwigshafen, Germany)

  • DuPont, Dow, 3M

  • Lockheed Martin

  • KPMG, Deloitte

  • REI,  Under Armour, Belk

  • Phelps Dodge, Peabody Energy

  • Syngenta, John Deere, CAT

  • Lenovo, Lexmark

  • Duke Energy, APS, SRP

  • Ford, Maersk, 

  • Retail Industry Association

  • Sustainable Apparel Coalition (Global)

  • U.S. Congress + Testifying

  • General Services Admin

  • United Nations Environment Programme

  • US Dept. of Agriculture

  • US EPA & DEFRA (UK)

  • Green Chemistry & Commerce Council

  • City of Durban (S. Africa)

  • Mayor of Londons Office

  • City & Mayor of Phoenix

  • City of Chicago & Kings County (WA)

  • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

  • Chinese Academy of Sciences + Changjiang Institute of Survey, Planning, Design and Research (China)

  • Brazilian Ministry of Industrial Development

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