Şafak Yücel is an Associate Professor of Operations Management (with tenure) at the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University, where he also serves as the Associate Director of the Business of Sustainability Initiative.
His main research interest is sustainable operations. He focuses on the business case for sustainability, demonstrating how well-designed sustainability strategies can improve profitability while advancing the transition to renewable energy. His research on sustainable energy and technology examines capacity investments in solar and wind energy, utility strategy and electricity markets, electricity pricing and demand-response programs, smart charging of electric vehicles, business model innovation, procurement of renewable electricity, voluntary carbon markets, and corporate decarbonization.
Professor Yücel’s research has appeared in leading journals such as Management Science and Manufacturing and Service Operations Management. He has received several awards, including the Management Science Best Paper Award in Operations Management (2021) and the INFORMS Best Publication Award in Environment and Sustainability (2021, 2022, and 2023). He was also named a Poets&Quants Top 40 under 40 MBA Professor (2025). He is an Associate Editor at Manufacturing and Service Operations Management and a Senior Editor at Production and Operations Management. He also serves as President of the POMS College of Sustainable Operations and Chair of the MSOM Sustainable Operations Special Interest Group.
Professor Yücel teaches the business of sustainable energy and technology across undergraduate, MBA, specialized master’s, executive, and custom programs. He frequently provides strategic advisory and consulting services to companies on sustainable energy and technology. He previously worked at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Boğaziçi University and a Ph.D. in Operations Management from the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.
Academic Appointment(s)
- Primary
- Associate Professor, McDonough School of Business