American University announced today the appointment of Nicole Darnall as the Arlene R. and Robert P. Kogod Eminent Scholar Chair in Sustainability. The first joint appointment of an endowed chair in the university’s history, the role was established with a generous gift from Kogod School of Business namesakes Bob and Arlene Kogod, who have continuously supported scholarship across AU’s schools. She will start at AU ahead of the fall 2024 semester.
A renowned scholar, Darnall comes from Arizona State University, where she previously served as Foundation Professor and Associate Dean of the School of Sustainability. While at ASU, Darnall was founding director of the Sustainable Purchasing Research Initiative, which produces actionable knowledge about sustainable purchasing globally. Her appointment furthers AU's commitment to sustainability. Since signing the 2008 American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment to address the threat of climate change, AU has been a leader advancing sustainability practices, principles and education.
“We are incredibly lucky to have Nicole Darnall join AU at this pivotal time in our journey of building the area of sustainability,” said Acting Provost Vicky Wilkins. “Dr. Darnall brings a wealth of scholarship and teaching experience to us, and I also know her to be a fantastic institution builder and university citizen.”
For Kogod, sustainability is the driving force of the school’s mission to build a more sustainable world through business. Darnall’s appointment marks the Kogod School of Business’s fifth sustainability faculty hire in the past two years. During this time, the Kogod School has also established a Sustainability Advisory Council of top-tier business, finance, NGO, and labor leaders. With the Council’s guidance, Kogod has infused sustainability throughout its core curriculum for undergraduate and MBA students and has revamped the curriculum in its flagship MS in Sustainability Management program, which launched over a decade ago. In 2023, Kogod received the Page Prize for best sustainability curriculum in the country, joining previous winners including Harvard, Duke, Northwestern, and Cornell. In addition, the school brings leaders from across sectors to speak about sustainability in business at its Gamechangers in Sustainability speaker series that launched in 2022.