The Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business at Georgia Tech's Scheller College of Business empowers students to become leaders in building a sustainable and prosperous future. The MBA Fellows program is an opportunity for those seeking a deeper engagement related to sustainability, beyond the Strategic Sustainability Concentration, the Innovating for Sustainability Immersive Track, and the Net Impact MBA Chapter.
Each year, the Center chooses a limited number of Scheller Sustainability Fellows. Each will work with a Center affiliated faculty member on a sustainability-focused project aligned with their interests and goals.
This year’s fellows, Eric May, Wes Robinson, and Marc Jacobson, are researching the challenges of mattress recycling, opportunities for renewable energy in Georgia, and the cost of solar energy in the Southeast. Below are brief introductions to the fellows.
When Eric May worked at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the nonprofit organized a stakeholder platform to facilitate cooperation to help companies avoid putting themselves at a competitive disadvantage in areas such as deforestation and commodities sourcing. Eric realized that “the private sector can make a huge impact in a really short period of time.” As a fellow, he appreciates interacting with people “who share similar world views but also challenge me intellectually to look at things differently.”
Wes Robinson, who works in Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources as Director of Public and Governmental Affairs, says that pursuing a graduate degree in business with a sustainability concentration “seemed like a natural fit.” Receiving the fellowship in his first semester provided Wes with “an instant support network.” He wants to spread the “win-win” message about sustainability initiatives - they not only conserve natural resources but also benefit the bottom line.
In college, Mark Jacobson learned about businesses that serve as stewards for the environment while also generating a profit. “That’s the path I chose to explore,” he says. Mark, a believer in Scheller’s 21st-century MBA story, says, “Since technology is increasingly everywhere in business, it should be a key component of MBA curriculum.” In his fellowship, Mark researches solar energy in the Southeast in an effort to project when it will achieve cost parity with traditional energy generation sources.
Read more about each of the fellows here.
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