Jacquelyn Pless is the Fred Kayne (1960) Career Development Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and an Assistant Professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Her research interests are in the economics of innovation, energy and environmental economics, and public economics. In particular, her research explores the drivers of innovation for social progress with a focus on energy and environmental innovation. Her current projects are examining the effects of policies, their interactions, and management on firms' and scientists' innovations and decision-making.
Before joining academia, Jacquelyn held various positions in the public and private sectors. She started in policy, working in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and then at the National Conference of State Legislators supporting state and tribal governments on energy policy and project finance issues. She was also a research economist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the head of analytics for a boutique consulting firm helping companies in their reorganizations.
Jacquelyn is also an Honorary Research Associate with the University of Oxford, a Research Affiliate of CESifo, and a Kenan Institute Distinguished Fellow on stakeholder capitalism. She holds MS and PhD degrees in mineral and energy economics from the Colorado School of Mines and a BA in economics and political science from the University of Vermont (Honors College).
