Research

ESD researchers address significant, real-life challenges—asking questions such as:

• How can we better understand global climate change, mitigate its impact, and work toward energy security?
• With more than 15% of U.S. population uninsured, what is the best way to improve a health care system that is failing so many?
• In an increasingly global economy, how do we best manage complex manufacturing and supply chains?
• With a billion more people worldwide moving into the middle class, how can this transition be made sustainable?

ESD partners with industry and governments, and draws upon faculty members from all five MIT schools, to integrate methodologies and develop solutions to challenges in the key domains of energy and sustainability, extended enterprises, health care delivery, and critical enterprises. ESD research in all domains implements often-overlapping approaches including humans and technology, uncertainty and dynamics, design and implementation, networks and flows, and policy and standards. Click on the domains and approaches at the left for more details and resources.