| | | | | Dear Alumni, Friends, and Colleagues,
Some of you may remember that a year ago we announced some significant changes to our SGE course offerings in the residential MBA program. As I wrote at that time, our challenge institutionally was to figure out how best to work with the MBA program to redesign what is offered to residential students so they are prepared to lead and fulfill the College of Business’ mission to “inspire leaders to build sustainable, shared prosperity.”
To that end, we believe we have made progress this past academic year. Highlights include: | - The completion of the first cohort of Semlitz Family Sustainability Fellowship Program (3 PhDs and Post-docs and 3 MBAs) and the selection of the second cohort (6 PhDs and Post-docs and 7 MBAs). Semlitz Fellows focus time on studying and engaging in applied research related to the intersection of sustainability science and business decision-making.
- Graduation of our first Sustainability Business (SB) Fellow and 13th cohort of 19 Environmental Finance & Impact Investing (EFII) Fellows. We are preparing to work with the 13 SB Fellows in cohort two and the 36 EFII Fellows from cohort 14 who will be graduating next year!
- Doubling the sections offered of our foundational MBA course, Strategies for Sustainability, all of which saw full enrollment as student interest in the class within and beyond the College of Business continues to grow.
- Our 22 Big Red Microenterprise (BRM) coaches worked with 11 businesses to help those organizations achieve their growth goals and contribute to local economic development.
- The first international SGE Trek which took a group of students, staff and faculty to Norway where we learned more about sustainability efforts in Scandinavia.
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In addition to these milestones, the College of Business successfully hosted the first Research in Management Education (RME) Week in early June at the Cornell Tech Campus in NYC. Over five days, hundreds of researchers and administrators from around the world attended the UN’s Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Global Forum; the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Societal Impact Curriculum Workshop; and the Responsible Research in Business and Management (RRBM) Network Responsible Research Summit. Participants discussed how best to improve business and sustainability education in the light of a number of significant trends, including declining federal support for research in the United States, insatiable growth in energy demands related to data and AI even as the world appears poised to fall well short of its stated climate goals, a decline in international cooperation that impacts advances in everything from healthcare and economic development to decarbonization and overtourism.
To say that the current issues facing higher education in the US may be the most challenging in a century is not an understatement. What is taught, to whom, and how is all being rethought.
Our goal is to remain focused on the foundational issues scientists tell us are the biggest threats to – and what we believe could be the greatest opportunity for – the private sector: to advance how the private sector plays a constructive, unique role in addressing our toughest social, environmental, and economic issues. We hope you will continue to engage with us on that goal. For those interested, please check out and consider getting involved in our new Sustainability Mentors program!
Finally, we want to welcome a new staff member, Anna Karina Lawson who is based in Puerto Rico and congratulate Monica Touesnard who received “Advisor of the Year” from Sustainable Cornell while also celebrating 20 years at the University!
Please continue to share your updates and be sure to drop by to visit when you are on campus!
Sincerely,
| | Mark Milstein | | Faculty Director of the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise |
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| | | | Climate Week NYC Roundtables on Sustainability in Travel, Tourism, & Hospitality (September 22-26) |
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| | In collaboration with the College’s Business of Sustainability Interdisciplinary Theme and the Center for Hospitality Research, we will host several invitation-only roundtables with industry experts to explore cutting edge topics related to the impacts of climate change and sustainability on the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. The roundtables will be followed by a panel discussion and networking reception. For more details, please reach out to Mark Milstein. |
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| | 15th Annual Cornell Energy Connection (November 21) |
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| Join us at the Cornell Tech Campus in New York City for Cornell’s premier energy event that delves into cutting-edge sustainability issues in the energy sector. Come hear from industry leaders about how the energy sector is responding to dynamic market and political forces and network with students and other professionals.
Interested in sponsorship? Showcase your company to a distinguished audience by becoming a sponsor. Contact Monica Touesnard for more details. |
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| | | | Seeking Sustainability Mentors for Inaugural Cohort | | (Academic Year Fall 2025-Spring 2026) |
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| The Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise is excited to announce our new Sustainability Mentors program! Mentors will meet one-on-one with students virtually or in-person to share their sustainability expertise, advise on careers in sustainability, and discuss students' goals and interests. This is a one-year commitment and mentors should plan to commit at least 8 hours to the program each semester.
If you are interested in becoming a member of our inaugural cohort of Sustainability Mentors, please complete and submit the application form here. Contact CSGE@cornell.edu with any questions about the program. |
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| | | Sustainable Tourism Asset Management Program (STAMP) |
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| Since January, STAMP has continued to progress in its collaboration with the US Forest Service (USFS) in El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico to identify opportunities for tourism development that are most likely to generate economic, social and environmental value for the El Yunque region, particularly the Route 186 Scenic Byway. |
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| Current work is focused on new partnerships with companies to perform a series of sustainable tourism analyses that will establish baseline data and inform destination management decisions. Our partners include: | - Solimar International is supporting work to identify alternative tourism market segments and products in the El Yunque Region (including adventure tourism, ecotourism, cultural tourism, agritourism, and gastronomy).
- Estudios Tecnicos is analyzing how to build a GIS Sustainable Tourism Regional Planning Hub to evaluate the potential and future environmental and social impacts of tourism to guide long-term sustainable tourism development planning.
- Sinfranova is analyzing current infrastructure, including energy, solid waste, wastewater, and internet in the El Yunque Region and recommending sustainable infrastructure improvements as tourism in the region increases over the next five years.
| Full reports on each of these workstreams are expected in 2026. |
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| | In May, a Collaborative Steering Committee was established to support efforts in El Yunque. The Committee is composed of a group of experts from key tourism organizations and businesses, NGOs, local municipalities, universities and economic development organizations based in Puerto Rico. The Steering Committee’s initial meeting focused on ideas of the types of businesses needed, social and cultural assets to be protected and fostered, and economic development opportunities to pursue for local development.
To provide local support for the work with USFS, the Center has hired (and welcomes!) Anna Karina Lawson, who is based in Puerto Rico. Anna has a background as a translator. She has a strong commitment to community resilience and believes sustainable development should play a key role in project operations and stakeholder engagement. Following Hurricane María, Anna supported grassroots recovery efforts that connected small businesses with critical resources. She has continued to focus on helping communities within the NGO and economic development sectors of Puerto Rico to advance sustainable strategies for development. |
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| | | This spring, the Center, through the STAMP program, officially partnered with UN Tourism to foster the global talent, capacity, and leadership needed to ensure tourism destinations are managed to protect local well-being and vital natural and cultural assets with advanced tools and frameworks. The two organizations announced availability of financial support for up to 350 people to take our Sustainable Tourism Destination Management online course through eCornell. We received over 700 applications! Those selected to receive the scholarship will be part of a group of over 1,000 students, based in emerging economies across the globe, who have completed the course. |
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| | Mass Timber Construction & Circularity: The Groovelam Project |
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| | The GrooveLam project is a collaboration to develop a novel circular construction product. Led by Professor Felix Heisel with The Circular Construction Lab (CCL) at the College of Art, Architecture and Planning (AAP), the research also involves the Bovay Laboratory Complex at Cornell University’s College of Civil and Environmental Engineering (Professors Mathias T. Reiter and James Strait), and the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise (Professor Mark Milstein). Industry partners include Tri-Lox, Schlaich Bergermann Partner, Trade Design Build, Co Adaptive, UrbanMachine, CR0WD, and RECLAIM NYC. The project is focused on development of Groovelam, a new structural engineered wood product offering a non-toxic and circular alternative to glue-laminated timber. The research, funded by the NY State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), includes a team overseen by the Center which is assessing the potential market feasibility of the new product through interviews with mass timber construction stakeholders. Questions about the project can be directed to Mark Milstein. |
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| | Renewable Energy for People and the Planet Standard (REPPS) |
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| In March, the center continued to represent Cornell University in a REPPS development workshop which brought together representatives from The Nature Conservancy (TNC, co-lead), Sustain Our Future Foundation (co-lead), 7 Skyline, American Farmland Trust, Rivian, Schneider Electric, Seneca Environmental, Solar Stewards, WattTime, Weyerhaeuser, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to move forward in developing standards to improve the pace of solar development. For more information about REPPS, email Mark Milstein. |
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| | Measuring the Invisible Burden of Tourism |
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| | In June, Julie Saito (MBA ’26) and Miwako Uemura (MBA ’26) completed work under the guidance of Megan Epler Wood (Managing Director, STAMP) and Professor Mark Milstein to measure and manage the invisible burden of tourism in the Hudson River Valley Villages of Cold Spring, Nelsonville, and Philipstown. The three towns face the challenge of managing growing tourism that is the result of the popularity of area trails and easy access by train from New York City via Metro North service. The introduction of a project called the Hudson Highlands Fjords Trail (HHFT) which would consist of an elevated trail over the Hudson River, has potential to significantly increase tourism and its associated impacts in the region. For more information about the project, email Megan Epler Wood. |
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| | SGE Out & About: Norway Trek |
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| | To expand experiential learning for students, the Center helped to organize the first SGE Trek to Norway over spring break in April. Over nine days, the class visited companies and cultural sites in Oslo, Bergen, Ålesund, and Dovre. A highlight was viewing the Northern Lights while on an overnight ferry to Ålesund which was followed the next day with a cruise into UNESCO World Heritage Geirangerfjord courtesy of Havila Voyages aboard their modern hybrid ship which used battery power to sail in and out of the fjord. To read an accounting of the trip from one of the students who participated, check out this link. |
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| | | Dr. Lailani Alcantara, Pro-Vice President and Professor, School of Management at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Japan, spent the past year in Ithaca as a visiting faculty member with the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise. During this time she advanced her research on B Corporations by conducting in-depth interviews with founders and leaders of purpose-driven businesses, including Jeff Furman, BOD Emeritus and President of the Ben & Jerry's Foundation (pictured below with Lailani). |
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| | Dr. Alcantara says she embraced the natural beauty of Ithaca, which provided a welcome sense of balance as she navigated work across multiple time zones. She expressed deep appreciation for the warm and inclusive Cornell community—from faculty and students to industry collaborators and staff—who made her experience both enriching and memorable. |
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| | Cornell Business Impact Symposium |
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| | The 10th Annual Cornell Business Impact Symposium, “Sustainability Lead(HER)s: Breaking Barriers, Building Futures” was a huge success. Thanks to funding from the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW), EY, Gellert Global Group, Mindshift Capital and the work of numerous Cornell student groups the symposium featured an impressive lineup of speakers to discuss issues such as sustainable innovation, Green Tech, modern slavery, sustainable supply chains, regenerative practices and more. For the full agenda, including topics and speakers, visit the website here. |
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| | | Undergraduate Impact Investing Pitch Competition |
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| This year, the 5th Annual Impact Investing Pitch Competition, a collaboration between the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise and the Impact Investing Club, received 39 submissions from 19 universities around the country, a big increase from 2024. The final, in-person round included 6 teams from Cornell University, Cornell/Yale, Columbia University, Columbia/University of Toronto, University of Pennsylvania, and University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA). Congratulations to the Cornell/Yale team – this year’s grand-prize winner – for their pitch of KETOS. First prize went to UCLA, pitching IONATE, and honorable mention went to Columbia for their pitch on Anthrogen.
Special thanks to our panel of esteemed judges who assisted with the first round of video submissions, and especially those who joined us in-person for the finals: Heather Henyon (MBA 2003) with Mindshift Capital, Lydiah Kemunto Bosire (BA ’01, MPA ’02) with 8B Education Investments, Elisa Miller-Out with Chloe Capital, and Beatina Theopold (MBA ’15) with Juniperseed Consulting. Thank you, also, to our generous sponsors Anthropocene Ventures and Galway Sustainable Capital, without whom this event would not have been possible. |
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| | | Finance & Sustainability Colloquium |
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| We want to recognize and thank all the speakers who joined the Spring 2025 Finance and Sustainability Colloquium for sharing their knowledge and experience: | - Heather Bergman, Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager at Virtus Investment Partners
- John Bonhomme (MBA ‘07), Managing Director at JP Morgan & Principal at Thorobird Companies
- Marilyn Ceci, Managing Director, Senior Advisor to the Center for Carbon Transition at JP Morgan
- Robert (Bobby) Frisch (MBA ‘13), Co-Founder & CEO at Firelight Camps
- Jonathan (Jon) Greene (MBA ‘04), Investment Principal at New Climate Ventures
- Jonathan London, Vice President, Product Specialist at Virtus Investment Partners
- Navid Zarinejad (BS ‘00), Head of Sustainability at Sompo International
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| | Sustainable Business (SB) Fellows |
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| | Congratulations to our first Sustainability Business (SB) Fellow, Phoebe Kyritsis! Phoebe’s capstone project was entitled, Valuing the Forest for the Trees: Scaling the Cumberland Forest Model. |
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| | Semlitz Family Sustainability Fellows |
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| Established through the generosity of Stephen Semlitz (ILR ’75, MBA ‘76) & Cathy Glaser (ILR ‘74), the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability and the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business launched the Semlitz Family Sustainability Fellows Program (Semlitz Fellows) to support early career researchers and graduate business students in pursuing impactful careers in sustainability leadership. Managed by the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise in collaboration with Cornell Atkinson, the program enables fellows to apply sustainability science in real-world business contexts, address complex global challenges, and develop career pathways at the intersection of business, environment, and society. Each fellow completes a spring capstone project focused on a sustainability topic of personal and professional interest.
Congratulations to the inaugural 2025 Semlitz Fellow cohort who presented their capstone projects in May: | - Bayu Ahmad (PhD candidate, Chemistry): Is Sunlight-Driven Direct Air Capture Cost-Competitive?
- Ethan Duvall (PhD candidate, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology): Exploring Sustainable Income Opportunities for the Baihuaeri Waorani in the Ecuadorian Amazon
- Jacob Hyppolite (MBA ’25): Enhanced Energy Efficiency and Grid Stability: The Role of Battery Storage Optimization
- Shardul Prabhu (PhD ‘25, Environmental Engineering): A Roadmap for Reusing Construction Waste for a Sustainable Construction Industry: Technological Advancements & Business Prospects
- Misaki Saito (MBA ’25): The Role of Reforestation in Coffee Sustainability: A Case Study of Nestlé and Nespresso
- Lauren Swank (MBA ’25): How Do We Increase the Rate of Decarbonization? Forces That Propel or Obstruct Progress & the Strategic Path Forward (with Johanna Van Fleet, MPA ’25)
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We are also excited to welcome the incoming 2026 cohort of Semlitz Fellows:
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| | Environmental Finance & Impact investing (EFII) Fellows |
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| Congratulations to our 13th cohort of Environmental Finance and Impact Investing (EFII) Fellows! Students presented their capstone projects during a poster session in Sage Atrium in May. Projects included: | - Jacklyn Budiman (MBA ’25) & Nuning Haryati (MPA ’25) – EU ETS: A Model for ASEAN Carbon Markets?
- Juan Chamorro (MBA ’25) – Electrifying Public Transportation: Financing E-Buses in Emerging Markets
- Pedro De La Rosa Herrera (MBA ’25) – Why Isn't Mexican Money Investing in the Country's Energy Transition Infrastructure?
- Greg Dessingue (MBA ’25) – Is Nuclear Energy Becoming Financially Viable or is it Still in Meltdown Mode?
- Srinica Hampi (MBA ’25) – Financial Instruments to Build Climate Resilience for Smallholder Farms
- Alexia Holloway (MPA ’25) – A Business Case for a Mobility Hub in Newport News, Virginia
- Shereef Jinadu (MBA ’25) – Is Pineapple-Based Plant Leather a Financially Viable Product?
- Ahsan Kibria (MPA ’25) – The Role of Islamic Finance in Unlocking Private Sector Investment for Climate Adaptation
- Marini (MPA ’25) – Investing in Forests & Communities: Evaluating Indonesia's TERRA Fund for Climate and Social Impact
- Salvador Pineda (MBA ’25) – Bitcoin Mining with Flared Gas: Eco-Efficiency or Eco-Effectiveness?
- Mingchen Sun (MPA ’25) & Riley Wang (MPA ’25) – Sustainable Logistics Through Green Bonds: Modeling EV Integration and Charging Infrastructure at SF Hong Kong
- Lauren Swank (MBA ’25) & Johanna Van Fleet (MPA ’25) – How Do We Increase the Rate of Decarbonization? Forces That Propel or Obstruct Progress & the Strategic Path Forward
- Shanyue Wang (MPA ’25) – Payment for Ecosystems Services (PES) for Local Rights or Environmental Effectiveness? The Case of Fiji Marine Protected Area and Australia’s NatureAssist Program
- Jun Wang (MPA ’25) & Raven Yuan (MPA ’25) – Financing the Green Transition: Leveraging Green Bonds for Electric School Bus Adoption in the U.S.
- Jennifer White-Phalen (MBA ’25)– A Balancing Act: What Does it Take to Make Bike Share Programs Profitable?
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| | Big Red Microenterprise (BRM) |
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| It was a successful year for Big Red Microenterprise (BRM) with 22 MBA students working with 11 local and regional clients. In May, BRM students together with Johnson Board Fellows, Park Leadership Fellows, and the Philanthropic Leadership Class showcased their work during the Johnson MBA Community Engagement Showcase. Thank you to this year’s BRM clients who included: | - Gardella’s Goodies is a small business that sells homemade sweets crafted to create meaningful moments
- Hammerstone School empowers women and gender minorities through crafts trades education
- Hollenbeck’s Cider Mill is a family-owned cidery and country grocery store complete with homemade donuts, pies, and other scratch baked goods
- Indogro is a Brooklyn-based cannabis startup
- Metadreams is a small, family-owned company that makes original games, puzzles and laser art
- Northstar House is a local restaurant which serves as a gathering space for the Ithaca community
- Seedly is dedicated to the power of hemp and other seeds to deliver nutrient-dense, delicious snacks made from unrefined, whole ingredients
- Service in Unity is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering local organizations through supportive, low-barrier employment services
- Swin with Suzanne is dedicated to teaching water safety, survival swimming, and stroke development to all people
- The Learning Farm is a farm that gives children the various tools, support, motivation, and rewards necessary to become responsible, knowledgeable, and caring citizens
- Via’s Cookies seeks to provide the community with delicious cookies that can be enjoyed by people with and without food restrictions, and simultaneously help struggling BIPoC and LGBTQIA+ students so life can be sweet for everyone
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| | | Congratulations to Phoebe Kyritsis (MBA'25), the 2025 recipient of the Samuel C. Johnson Award in Sustainable Global Enterprise for Individual Leadership! |
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| | Congratulations to Monica Touesnard , Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise, for being awarded “Advisor of the Year” at the campus sustainability awards. Students from several sustainability clubs nominated her for this honor. |
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| | | | | It was great to catch up with alumni in San Francisco, New York City, and here in Ithaca during Cornell Reunion! |
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| | | | | Center-Advised Student Clubs |
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| | Sustainable Global Enterprise Club (graduate) |
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| The SGE Club kicked off the spring semester with David Lodge and Verne Thalheimer from Cornell’s Atkinson Center for Sustainability talking about Atkinson’s focus on climate risk, food security, energy transition, and One Health; and ways students can engage in sustainability efforts across campus. Later in the semester, the club welcomed Muhammad Syirazi (MPS ’25) to talk about, “Green Growth from the Global South,” which explored the role of Indonesia’s social forestry enterprises in driving sustainability, community empowerment, and climate resilience in the face of global market challenges.
As part of its commitment to local impact, the club partnered with Community Impact Cornell to organize a community clean-up near the Cayuga Inlet watershed removing litter and improving a drainage area that connects to the local water system.
In April, the club hosted an Earth Day Sage Social during Destination Johnson (DJ) Weekend and the club also hit the ice for an intro to curling with faculty and friends, an evening full of laughs and the need for a lot more practice! Stay connected with the club on Instagram (@cornelljohnson_sge) and LinkedIn. |
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| | | Cornell Energy Club (graduate) |
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| | Over the past semester, the CEC made a concerted effort to bring in speakers working in relevant fields, including: Mathilde Godard from ENGIE, who spoke about global energy project development; Geoff Sharples (MBA ‘97) from GreenSpark Solar, who discussed structuring community solar deals; and Miles Archer (MBA ‘18) from Electreon, who shared his experience deploying dynamic EV charging infrastructure. The club looks forward to building on this momentum next year by continuing to foster connections, expand its reach, and help members apply what they learn—whether through internships or full-time roles. |
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| | Cornell Sustainability Consultants (undergraduate) |
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| This spring, CSC welcomed 10 new members and launched an expanded New Member Education program designed to build core skills in consulting, sustainability, and project-based collaboration. With this foundation, the 7 sub-teams of CSC engaged in a dynamic range of projects that combined innovation with collaboration to promote sustainability across local and global contexts. | - The Sustainable Beverage team collaborated with Anthony Road Winery to explore sustainable agriculture, solar energy integration, and a wine-bottle-back recycling program.
- The Can Carrier Reuse team launched a pilot reuse system for plastic beer carriers with local partners, supported by a grant from Sustainable Finger Lakes.
- The Carbon Calculators team deepened its work with a new client, IndieClime, refining emissions simulations and carbon footprint tools for small businesses.
- The Sustainable Branding team partnered with Earth Matters Game to strengthen outreach and marketing strategy for its climate education board game, targeting schools and retailers.
- The STAMP team continued supporting the Sustainable Tourism Asset Management Program (STAMP) by enhancing a carbon accounting platform with new datasets.
- The Sustainable Commerce team returned to the Ithaca Farmers Market to evaluate the environmental impact of its Zero Waste Project and provide recommendations for stakeholder outreach and ESG reporting.
- The SWEEP team built on its long-term work with the Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Program (SWEEP) by advancing a campus-specific certification model and conducting a comprehensive gap analysis for Cornell’s waste systems.
| Stay connected with CSC on Instagram (@cornellsc) and LinkedIn. |
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| | | Impact Investing at Cornell (undergraduate) |
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| Impact Investing at Cornell (IIC) kicked off the spring semester by recruiting 12 new members who participated in an eight-week Associate Development Program covering topics such as finance, consulting, and ESG. |
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| The club had one project team where six IIC members collaborated with Douglas Rogers, managing partner at Semi + Cap Equity Partners (SCE), an investment bank that provides services to mid-cap applied industrial technology companies. The team worked to create a coverage list of alternative energy companies viable as impact investments. The final product was a ranked coverage list of top alternative energy companies for impact investing. Through this collaboration, IIC members gained valuable insights into the alternative energy industry and learned how to evaluate companies with the rigor of an investment banker. We are looking for more impact investing projects in the fall, so please reach out to Monica Touesnard if you have a potential project.
Additionally, IIC helped host Cornell’s 5th Annual Impact Investing Pitch Competition, with two teams from the club competing in the finals. |
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| | | Other Items from the SC Johnson College of Business’ Business of Sustainability Interdisciplinary Theme Colleagues |
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| Grow-NY Food & Agriculture Startup Competition | The Grow-NY competition, administered by Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA), is now accepting applications for its 2025 cycle. This annual program awards $3 million in prize funding to innovative startups in the food, beverage, and agriculture sectors, with a top award of $1 million. Finalists receive mentorship, pitch coaching, and regional business development support. The competition is part of Cornell’s broader efforts to cultivate a robust agrifood innovation ecosystem in Upstate New York. Go to grow-ny.com for more information.
| Emerging Markets Institute Conference | New Rules, New Opportunities: Emerging Markets’ Growth in the Midst of Uncertainty | November 6–7, 2025 | Cornell Tech Campus, NYC | Join the Emerging Markets Institute for its 2025 EMI Conference, celebrating EMI’s 15th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of the EMI Report. This year’s theme, “New Rules, New Opportunities,” explores how emerging markets are navigating global economic uncertainty through innovation and transformation. The conference will spotlight key trends, policy shifts, and investment opportunities driving resilience and growth in dynamic economies across the globe. Register here to attend this milestone event.
| Center for International Business Acceleration (CIBA) Global Forum | Global Trade and Investment for Regional Growth | November 21, 2025 | 570 Lexington Avenue, New York City | Join the Center for International Business Acceleration Inc. (CIBA) for its 10th Annual Global Trade and Investment Forum. This year’s event brings together executives, policymakers, academics, and technology leaders to explore how global connectivity—through exports, foreign investment, and international partnerships—can drive economic growth and job creation in New York State and beyond. Learn more at www.cibanewyork.com |
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| | | O’Shannon Burns (delegate), TED Countdown Summit. June 16–18, 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. A global climate conference convening innovators, executives, scientists, policymakers, next-generation leaders, artists, and activists to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and champion a more resilient and equitable future.
Andrew Karolyi (panelist), Shaping Impact: Connecting Responsible Research & Education Through Strategic Unity. April 2025 at RME Week.
Monica Touesnard, Data-Driven Sustainability: Transforming Global Supply Chains With AI. April 25, 2025. eCornell Keynote. |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Note: The Publications and news articles below reflect the work of the broad Business of Sustainability Interdisciplinary Theme affiliated faculty across the college. Some work is directly related to sustainability in business; other work is indirectly related to the domain. |
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| Adair, James L., Matteo Pecchi, Buz Barstow, and Jillian L. Goldfarb. 2025. Upcycling Residual Carbon in Hydrothermal Processing Wastewater to Cultivate Gluconobacter oxydans. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.
Bancel, Franck, Dejan Glavas, and G. Andrew Karolyi. 2025. Do ESG Factors Influence Firm Valuations? Evidence from the Field. Financial Review.
Barrett, Christopher B. and Jing Yi. 2025. Confronting the Modern Food Price Dilemma. Nature Food. 6: 10–12.
Barrett, Christopher B. and Miguel I. Gómez. 2025. Fostering Healthy, Equitable, Resilient, and Sustainable Agri-Food Value Chains. Agricultural Economics, 56: 390-400.
Casanova, Lourdes, and Anne Miroux. 2024. Emerging Markets Multinationals Report 2024: Innovation and Transformation to Emerge Stronger. Emerging Markets Institute Annual Reports.
Casanova, Lourdes, Anne Miroux, Shailja Bang, and Oritsemolebi Molagbemi Eyesa. 2024. In Search of an ESG Framework for Emerging Markets. What about Social Challenges? The Case of Nigeria, India and Indonesia. Cornell SC Johnson College of Business Research Paper.
Casanova, Lourdes, Anne Miroux, and Shailja Bang. 2024. In Search of a D-ESG Framework for Emerging Markets. What about Environment? Cornell SC Johnson College of Business Research Paper.
Cao, Sean, G. Andrew Karolyi, William W. Xiong, and Hui Xu. 2025. Biodiversity Entrepreneurship. Cornell SC Johnson College of Business Research Paper.
Chen, Minhao, Lin William Cong, Haoyu Gao, G. Andrew Karolyi, and Hui Wang. 2024. Regulating Fishing in the Yangtze for Biodiversity Unintentionally Boosted Science Research.
Dugoua, Eugenie, and Todd D. Gerarden. 2025. Induced Innovation, Inventors, and the Energy Transition. American Economic Review: Insights, 7(1): 90–106.
Fischer, Karen. 2025. Overtourism: Can Travel Disincentives Reduce Harm to Locals and the Environment? CQ Press Report, Featuring Should People Limit Travel to Reduce Their Carbon Footprint? by Megan Epler Wood
Lee, Joseph J., Luke Plante, Brooke Pian, Sabrina Marecos, Sean A. Medin, Jacob D. Klug, Matthew C. Reid, Greeshma Gadikota, Esteban Gazel, and Buz Barstow. 2025. Bio-Accelerated Weathering of Ultramafic Minerals with Gluconobacter oxydans. Scientific Reports.
Marecos, Sabrina, Brooke Pian, Sean A. Medin, Alexa Schmitz, Melinna Andrade, Mingming Wu, J. Brian Balta, Esteban Gazel, Megan Holycross, Matthew C. Reid, and Buz Barstow. 2025. Direct Genome-Scale Screening of Gluconobacter oxydans B58 for Rare Earth Element Bioleaching. Communications Biology.
Plante, Luke, Jacob D. Klug, Joseph Lee, Adrian Hornby, James Adair, Sabrina Marecos, Matthew C. Reid, Esteban Gazel, and Buz Barstow. 2024. Cross-species Comparison of Ultramafic Rock Bio-accelerated Weathering Performance. bioRxiv.
Schmitz, Alexa M., Brooke Pian, Sabrina Marecos, Mingming Wu, Megan Holycross, Esteban Gazel, Matthew C. Reid, and Buz Barstow. 2025. High Efficiency Rare Earth Element Bioleaching with Systems Biology Guided Engineering of Gluconobacter oxydans. Communications Biology. |
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| | | | Class of ‘09 | Steve Peck (SGE Immersion ‘08, MBA ‘09), for starting a new position as Chief Revenue Officer at Monarch Tractor |
Class of ‘10
| Anne Park (SGE Immersion ‘10, MPA ‘10), for being appointed as CEO at Sustainable Ocean Alliance
Gretchen Ruethling (SGE Immersion ‘10, MPA ‘10), for starting a new position as Financial Empowerment Program Officer at the Fidelity Foundations | | Class of ‘13 | Clint Cherco (SGE Immersion ‘12, MBA ‘13), for starting a new position as Senior Director, Programs & Operations and Chief of Staff at Akamai Technologies
Ben Garcia (SGE Immersion ’13, MBA ‘13), for starting a new position as Business Strategic Initiatives, Global Financial Crimes Audit at Bank of America
Emily (Busch) Nyrop (SGE Immersion ‘12, MBA ‘13), for starting a new position as Women’s Leadership Coach at Eleva Leadership | | Class of ‘14 | Jackie (Holtwick) Longner (SGE Immersion ‘13, MBA ‘14), for starting a new position as VP of Finance, Corporate Planning & Analysis at Ecolab
Damian Kearney (SGE Immersion ‘14, MBA ‘14), for starting a new position as VP of Analytics at Pareto Intelligence
Patrick Starr (SGE Immersion ‘13, MBA ‘14), on the birth of his daughter Josephine in November | | Class of ‘16 | Eskedar Getahun (SGE Immersion ‘15, MBA ‘16), for starting a new position as Chief of Staff at FrameWorks Institute
Rizwan Quraishi (SGE Immersion ‘15, MBA ‘16), for being promoted to Senior Director, Finance & Analytics at SquareTrade | | Class of ‘17 | Megan Baxter (SGE Immersion ‘16, MBA ‘17), for starting a new position as VP & GM of Aquatic Informatics (Veralto)
Katherine Gerber (SGE Immersion ‘16, MBA ‘17), for starting a new position as Head of Energy Transition, Americas, at AXA XL | | | | Class of ‘18 | Di An (SGE Immersion ‘17, MBA ‘18, MILR ‘18), for being promoted to Senior Manager at Deloitte
Matteo Continella (MBA ‘18), for starting a new position as Chief Commercial Officer at Green Venus
Lauren Dowler (SGE Immersion ‘17, MBA ‘18), for starting a new position as Partnership Development Director, Food & Agriculture Sustainability at Farm Journal |
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| Class of ‘18 (continued) | Preet Jassi (SGE Immersion ‘17, MBA ‘18), on the birth of his son Riyaan
Seth Olson (MS ‘18), for starting a new position as Senior Sustainability Manager at DT Global | | | | Class of ‘19 | Jason (Jay) Buselli (SGE Immersion ‘18, MBA ‘19), for starting a new position as Product Director: Immunology (IPS) Transformational Value Strategy at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Julien Morgan (BS ‘19), for starting a new position as Consultant at FSI Consulting
Matt Volkov (SGE Immersion ‘18, MBA ‘19), for being promoted to Director of Marathon Capital | | | | Class of ‘20 | | Julia Zakov (MPS ’20), for launching an art exhibition and speaker series at the intersection of sustainability, art, and public discourse at Plein Ventures | | | | Class of ‘21 | Aldi Collaku (MBA ‘21), for starting a new position as Senior Finance Manager at Enfinity Global
Luis Rodríguez (MBA ‘21), for starting a new position as Energy Markets Program Manager at Microsoft
Casey Silver (SGE Immersion ‘20, MS ‘21), for starting a new position as Lead Analyst, Agricultural Economics at Land O’Lakes, Inc.
Arif Yardimci (AMBA ‘21), for starting a new position as Manager, Integrated Supply Chain Special Projects at NextEra Energy Inc. | | | | Class of ‘22 | | Natalie Gonzalez (SGE Immersion ‘21, MBA ‘22), for being promoted to Marketing Manager at Ecolab | | | | Class of ‘23 | Stef Cainto (SGE Immersion ‘22, MBA ‘23), for starting a new position as a Global Circularity Insights Fellow at Delterra
Emma Conover (MBA ‘23), for being promoted to Senior Associate Brand Manager, Better-For-You Portfolio at The Hershey Company
Adit Desai (SGE Immersion ‘22, MBA ’23), for starting a new position as Chief of Staff at Swades Foundation
Beto Durón (SGE Immersion ‘22, MBA ‘23), for starting a new position as Brand Manager at PurposeBuilt Brands
Kevin Uniacke (SGE Immersion ‘23, AMBA ‘23), for starting a new position as Director of Intelligence Programs at Seerist |
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