Dr. Jay Golden
Pontarelli Professor of Environmental Sustainability & Finance
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Director, Dynamic Sustainability Lab
Syracuse University
BIO
Dr. Golden is an internationally recognized researcher and academic regarding he dynamics of the global sustainability transition. Golden uses big data, modeling and analytics to analyze the risks, unintended consequences and opportunities of government policies and corporate actions to meet sustainability challenges with a focus on the transition to a Net-Zero Carbon Economy.
Golden is the recipient of the Faculty Pioneer Award from the Aspen Institute which is the "Oscars of the business school world" according to The Financial Times. Golden was also named one of the 100 most influential people in business ethics by the Ethisphere Institute.
In 2017, Golden was appointed to the Board of Scientific Counselors for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where he served on the Executive Committee until his second term expired in 2024.
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.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT: DYNAMIC SUSTAINABILITY
Dr. Golden will discuss the findings in his new book, Dynamic Sustainability which he uses to define the unique juncture in the history of our epic sustainability transition. At one end of the spectrum government policies and technology advancements are inching us closer to achieving the long sought-after goal of transitioning from a fossil fuel-dependent economy to a renewable green economy. This transition requires a new generation of sustainable technologies which is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. In many cases these policies are meant not to simply ensure a healthier environment but are also intended to achieve near-term and longer-term economic gains.
However, on the other end of the spectrum society is challenged by unprecedented competition and pressures for critical natural resources necessary to power the transition that in part are further driving increased nationalistic policies impacting global trade and raising national security concerns. In the United States, domestic pressures are rising from both the rural-urban divide as well as well the blue-red divide in national and local politics. Concerns over environmental justice and social equity further complicate the sustainability transition and as presented in this book raise the real possibilities for unintended consequences and risks to our environment, our society and the global economy.
Dr. Christopher Tennant
Executive Director of the Coordinating Research Council
BIO
Dr. Christopher Tennant is a research professional with a background in mechanical engineering, alternative fuels, laboratory development and testing. He serves as the Executive Director of the Coordinating Research Council (CRC), a non-profit organization that he has helped to lead since 2005. The CRC directs, through committee action, engineering and environmental studies on the interaction between automotive/other mobility equipment and petroleum products. In his role with the CRC, Chris works with personnel in the automotive equipment and other related mobility industries and in the energy industries to explore ways in which industry members and government can join together to work on mutual problems.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
The Coordinating Research Council (CRC) has facilitated cooperative scientific research for the mobility-related industries for more than a century. Cooperation in scientific research is essential to achieve the best outcome and support progress in society. I will share the Council’s history, objectives, and approach, and explain how this applies to our most recent major scientific initiative, the Sustainable Mobility Committee. As we navigate a period of history where transformative change is all around us, I will advocate for the cooperative scientific research programs that will benefit researchers just entering their fields as well as more experienced researchers that are adapting to new and evolving research priorities.
Baja
Co-founder of Embodied Ecosystem and Originator of Resilience Hubs
BIO
Baja (she/ki) is an energy rooted in empathy, love, and compassion. She coaches, facilitates, and leads workshops, retreats, and trainings that nurture heart-centered self- and collective-liberation while supporting deeper connectivity to nature’s genius and shifting of power. Baja is the co-founder of Embodied Ecosystem and the originator of Resilience Hubs. She supports identifying, leading, and supporting innovative projects that actively transform local government processes, shifts power to community, and centers racial and environmental justice. She holds a Masters of Urban Planning and a Masters of Science from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Biomimicry from ASU. In 2016, she was recognized by the Obama Administration as a Champion of Change for her work on climate and equity.