Dr. Dan Vermeer

Dan has spent the last three decades working on some of the world’s “grand challenges” – e.g. poverty, water, climate change, and ocean sustainability – through diverse roles in academia and business. Trained as an anthropologist, Dan spent his 20s working with indigenous people in the Himalayas of Nepal and India. His first-hand experience of seeing the impacts of the global economy on communities and ecosystems led him to work with companies to develop more sustainable business practices. For example, Dan led Coca-Cola’s water sustainability initiative, where he initiated public-private partnerships on water access, watershed protection, and agriculture in over 90 countries. Dan is now Associate Professor of the Practice at Duke University, where he directs the Center for Energy, Development, and the Global Environment (EDGE). Through teaching, research, and outreach, Dan seeks creative ways to make business a force for good in the world.