What does receiving the Vivian Nora Lukens Memorial Scholarship mean to you?
It’s an incredible honor and yet one more reason why I am so grateful for the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business (Center). The support the Center has given me during my college experience has been invaluable for developing my professional interests in sustainability. Without experiential opportunities such as Carbon Reduction Challenge and the Undergraduate Sustainability Ambassadorship, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Describe your sustainability focus.
My primary focus is electrification – the process of converting fossil-fuel infrastructure into electric alternatives. Through my role as a Sustainability Ambassador and work with the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact, I got connected with Electrify GT, a group of passionate students trying to help Georgia Tech decarbonize through electrification. While working on electrification at a college campus has been incredibly informative, I now want to broaden my scope of work and approach climate and sustainability issues from a macro point of view.
What fuels your passion for sustainability?
Georgia Tech instills in students the mindset of being problem solvers, and the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on climate change explicitly illustrates a global problem. I sought to enrich my knowledge on the topic, which led me to the Center and the certificate in sustainable business. Now, I see how issues regarding climate change are both multidisciplinary and multi-scalar, which gives us students the opportunity to explore climate with our own experiences and backgrounds. This collaboration is what energizes me and is something I hope to do more of in the future.
How have you pursued your interest in sustainable business?
I am the former president of Electrify GT, a student association dedicated to on-campus electrification. As president, I organized three student groups to analyze anaerobic digestion, to evaluate the feasibility of installing heat pumps at Georgia Tech’s Holland Plant, and to evaluate EV charging infrastructure. Before I got into electrification, I did research with the Kendeda VIP Air Quality Lab, working to optimize our low-cost air quality sensors on campus. I also was a student contributor to Georgia Tech’s Climate Action Plan and was a two-time winner of the Carbon Reduction Challenge for Electrify GT projects on fleet electrification and electrification of the Holland Plant.
What has been your favorite sustainability course?
Environmental Law, taught by Stephen O’Day, lecturer in the School of Public Policy. The course provided an overview of the major developments in U.S. environmental law. My favorite part of the course was the reverse classroom format. We would come to class having read the assigned cases and then would be asked questions. This format gave us the opportunity to provide our own perspectives as engineering, public policy, and business students.
Describe the project you completed as an Undergraduate Sustainability Ambassador.
My project was focused on solar power installation, including workforce development. Our team’s goal was to evaluate the future of solar in Georgia, where growth is often driven by word of mouth. I explored expansion and how to create a more equitable workforce.
What have you learned through your affiliation with the Center?
Being comfortable with uncertainty. Creating a sustainable future means taking on some big problems, and there are lots of ways to find solutions. For instance, the Electrify GT team ran into roadblocks as we were pitching full-fleet electrification to the administration. We went to a research lab on campus, proposed a research report, and were able to convert an Electrify GT report to an academic paper recently published in Nature Scientific Reports. So, in that way, research became the key to the acceptance of our idea, and it helped Electrify GT get published for the first time.
How has the Center made a difference in your education?
The Center’s curriculum for the certificate in sustainable business has been enriching and a gateway into learning about sustainability on campus. The Center was the door in, and the connections I’ve made have been invaluable. There are lots of ways to tailor the certificate to your specific interests.
Why did you choose to study at the Scheller College of Business?
Scheller’s curriculum focuses heavily on teamwork, allowing people to build soft skills such as conflict management, while also being exposed to a variety of different topics from privacy technology to operations management. This varied skill development enables Scheller students to tackle issues holistically and consider dynamic points of view.
Do you have a role model?
Yes, Andre Calmon, assistant professor of operations management. He co-directs SUSTAIN-X [an initiative that supports participants who are interested in creating startups with environmental and social impact]. His real-world experience, paired with his intentional pedagogy, have been inspirational to me as a leader.
What motivates you?
Curiosity to learn and realizing that I can have an impact through my work.
What are some things you do for fun?
Hiking, volleyball, scuba diving, and reading.
What’s next?
I was awarded the Luce Scholarship to work on climate change for a year in Asia. I plan to study climate from an Asian perspective and to apply lessons learned to other parts of the world.
How do you hope to pay it forward?
I’ve had the incredible fortune of professors, alumni, and recent graduates being open to conversations where I can learn from their experience and wisdom. If anyone wants to reach out to me and ask me about my experiences throughout college, I’m happy to talk!
The Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business is pleased to announce that Jason Juang was awarded the 2024 Provost’s Academic Excellence Award at Georgia Tech. The award is bestowed upon students who display excellence in their academic pursuits. Click here to learn more.