Furman University

B.S., Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, 1972

M.P.A., Economic Development, Harvard University, 1978

Ph.D., Strategy, University of Tennessee, 1997 

Dr. Clemens joined Furman in 2010, having taught previously in strategy and sustainability at the University of Tennessee, James Madison University and Western New England College.

His awards include the faculty member of the year at James Madison University’s School of Business (2002-03) and a finalist for teacher of the year at Western New England College (2009-2010). He also received the Environmental Protection Agency Gold Medal for developing “how clean is clean” Superfund regulations and the Department of Energy’s Gold Medal for designing the Department’s Superfund strategy.

He has taught in the areas of statistics, public policy, civil engineering, strategy and sustainability. He also taught more than a dozen courses in Guatemala with international students in subjects ranging from civil engineering to sustainability. He also set up a‘barefoot’ engineering” baccalaureate level curriculum in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. He was recently elected to the teaching team of the Academy of Management’s Organization and Natural Environmental Division. He will serve in that capacity from 2010 through 2013. 

At Furman, he is focusing on strategy and sustainability.

He has held various management positions with environmental advocacy groups, government, industry and the National Academy of Sciences. He founded a non-profit consulting firm that completed over 700 potable water projects in Central America, serving more than 20% of the Guatemalan rural population. 

He has published more than 70 articles, book chapters and conference proceedings in outlets including the Journal of Business Research, Management Research Review and the Academy of Management’s Learning & Education. He currently researches sustainability including relationships among environmental policies, business strategies, environmental performance and financial performance. His current research also includes the relationships among environmental sanitation investments, economics and health.

Dr. Clemens and his wife enjoy their blended and currently employed family of three children, scattered from Burlington VT to New York to Washington D.C., a grand-horse, a grand-dog and rumors of grand-fish.