Nicole Darnall Professor KSB | KAA | Management
- Bio
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Nicole Darnall is Professor and Arlene R. and Robert P. Kogod Eminent Scholar Chair in Sustainability at American University, with appointments in both the Kogod School of Business and the School of Public Affairs. She is also Foundation Professor Emerita at Arizona State University. Her scholarship focuses on sustainability governance, sustainable procurement, organizational behavior, and public policy, with particular emphasis on the institutional and organizational factors that encourage more sustainable practices among firms, governments, and consumers.
Over the course of her career, Darnall has authored more than 150 publications examining how organizations respond to sustainability challenges through governance systems, organizational capabilities, incentives, and voluntary initiatives. Her research has advanced understanding of sustainable procurement and the ways purchasing systems and organizational decision-making can support sustainability objectives while creating public value. As a result, her work has informed both academic scholarship and management practice internationally.
A defining feature of Darnall's career has been her commitment to connecting rigorous research with real-world application. Through the development of research collaborations, professional networks, and cross-sector partnerships, she has worked to ensure that sustainability scholarship contributes to organizational decision-making, public policy, and broader societal outcomes.
Much of Darnall's leadership has focused on building scholarly communities and collaborative research infrastructure. She served as President of the Group for Research on Organizations and the Natural Environment (GRONEN), one of the world's leading scholarly networks focused on sustainability and enterprise. Under her leadership, GRONEN expanded engagement globally, transitioned to a member-based association, strengthened critical governance structures, and developed a long-term strategic vision.
This emphasis on collaboration also informs her role as Founding Director of the Sustainable Procurement Research Initiative (SPRI), a global research collaborative of nearly 50 scholars, students, and alumni, that produces actionable knowledge on sustainable procurement and purchasing systems. Through SPRI, she has led interdisciplinary teams spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania while developing partnerships with governments, nonprofit organizations, and international institutions. The initiative's work has contributed to advancing knowledge and practice related to sustainable purchasing and market transformation.
In addition to her academic leadership, Darnall has contributed extensively to public service and policy development. She has served as a Commissioner on the U.S. General Services Administration Acquisition Policy Federal Advisory Committee, advising the federal government on integrating sustainability and emerging technologies into the agency’s $700 billion of annual procurement. She contributed especially to developing recommendations aimed at strengthening sustainability expertise and incentives for the federal acquisition workforce.
Her policy experience complements a long record of academic leadership. At Arizona State University, Darnall served as Associate Dean of Faculty Success and Strategic Partnerships and as Associate Dean and Deputy Director of the School of Sustainability. In these roles, she helped guide institutional initiatives related to faculty governance, academic strategy, curriculum development, student success, global partnerships, and diversity and inclusion.
Darnall's contributions to scholarship, leadership, and public engagement have earned international recognition. She is recognized on the list of the Global 50 Women in Sustainability She has been included annually on Stanford University's World's Top 2% Scientists list and is recognized by Research.com among the leading scientists in business and management. She is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and an Abe Fellowship jointly supported by the Social Science Research Council and the Japan Foundation. Her work has received numerous honors from academic and professional organizations, including awards recognizing excellence in research, teaching, leadership, and societal impact.
Darnall has held editorial leadership positions with several leading journals and scholarly outlets, including Business & Society, Organization & Environment, Public Administration Review, Business Strategy and the Environment, and Production and Operations Management. She has also led special issues designed to advance interdisciplinary sustainability scholarship and foster collaboration across academic fields.
Her research has been supported by organizations including the National Science Foundation, United Nations Environment Programme, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, European Commission, and the IBM Center for the Business of Government, among other foundations and research consortia. This work has advanced understanding of sustainable public procurement, organizational sustainability behavior, infrastructure resilience, sustainability labeling, supply chain governance, and environmental policy.
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Teaching
Fall 2025
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MGMT-685 Topics in Management: Proj Mgmt for Sustainability
Spring 2026
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IBUS-641 Sustainability Strategy