John Sterman

Jay W. Forrester Professor of System Dynamics, MIT Sloan

John Sterman is the Jay W. Forrester Professor in Computer Science, a professor of system dynamics and engineering systems, and the director of the System Dynamics Group at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is the author of many scholarly and popular articles on the challenges and opportunities facing organizations today, including the book, Modeling for Organizational Learning, and the award-winning textbook, Business Dynamics. Prof. Sterman’s research centers on improving decision-making in complex systems, including corporate strategy and operations, energy policy, public health, environmental sustainability, and climate change. He has pioneered the development of “management flight simulators” of corporate and economic systems, which are now used by corporations, universities, and governments around the world. His research ranges from the dynamics of organizational change and the implementation of sustainable improvement programs to climate change and the implementation of policies to promote a sustainable world.

Prof. Sterman has been recognized for his work with an honorary doctorate from the Università della Svizzera italiana, Switzerland, has twice been awarded the Jay W. Forrester Prize for the best published work in system dynamics, has won an IBM Faculty Award as well as the Accenture Award for the best paper of the year published in the California Management Review, has seven times won awards for teaching excellence, and was named one of MIT Sloan’s “Outstanding Faculty” by the BusinessWeek Guide to the Best Business Schools. He has been featured on Public Television’s News Hour, National Public Radio’s Marketplace, CBC television, Fortune, the Financial Times, BusinessWeek, and other media for his research and innovative use of interactive simulations in management education and policymaking.

Prof. Sterman holds an AB in engineering and environmental systems from Dartmouth College and a PhD in system dynamics from MIT.