Skip to Content
Report an accessibility problem
George Basile

George Basile

Professor of Practice, School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures

george.basile@asu.edu

480-965-7094

School of Sustainability
Arizona State University
PO Box 875502
Tempe, AZ 85287-5502

Titles

  • Senior Global Futures Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory
  • Professor of Practice, School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures
  • Chair, Master of Sustainability Solutions Curriculum Committee, School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures

Biography

George Basile is an internationally recognized creative thinker and practitioner in the field of sustainability working to reframe sustainability as a "decision challenge". Basile started out on a traditional academic career path, with a BS in Physics from University of California-Irvine followed by a PhD in Biophysics from University of California-Berkeley and a post-doc at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He has held teaching positions at Berkeley and Stanford, and helped develop undergraduate and graduate sustainability programs in the United States and EU. He currently serves on the boards of nonprofit organizations and new ventures, and advises Fortune 500 clients and startups on sustainable strategies, operations, tools and actions. He served as the R&D head of The Natural Step, an accelerator of global sustainability and the Executive Director of the ASU/GIOS Decision Theater.

Basile is widely published and is a sought after speaker focusing on creating strategic alignment between business drivers and emerging market needs.

Education

  • BS, Physics, University of California-Irvine
  • PhD, Biophysics, University of California-Berkeley

Expertise

Journal Articles

2022

Dooley, K., V. Thakker, B. Bakshi, M. Scholz, F. Hafsa, G. Basile and R. Buch. 2022. A multi-disciplinary assessment of innovations to improve grocery bag circularity. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering 49:625-630. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-323-85159-6.50104-4. (link )

2014

McNall, S. G. and G. Basile. 2014. How to create a new narrative for sustainability that will work: And why it matters, part 2. Sustainability: The Journal of Record 7(1):9-20. DOI: 10.1089/SUS.2014.9822. (link )

2013

McNall, S. G. and G. Basile. 2013. How to create a new narrative for sustainability that will work: And why it matters. Sustainability: The Journal of Record 6(6):297-301. DOI: 10.1089/SUS.2013.9835. (link )

Robert, K., G. I. Broman and G. Basile. 2013. Analyzing the concept of planetary boundaries from a strategic sustainability perspective: How does humanity avoid tipping the planet?. Ecology and Society 18(2):Art. 5. DOI: 10.5751/ES-05336-180205. (link )

2012

Basile, G., M. J. Bernstein and S. G. McNall. 2012. Editorial: Trust, sustainability, and political innovation: A new reality for our future. Sustainability, the Journal of Record 5(3):123-126. (link )

2011

Basile, G. 2011. What is the worth of a degree in sustainability?. Sustainability, the Journal of Record 4(3):95-97. (link )

Book Chapters

2013

McNall, S. G. and G. Basile. 2013. Challenges in creating resilient and sustainable societies. Pp. 89-116 In: Jansen, S. A., E. Schröter and N. Stehr eds., Fragile Stabilität – Stabile Fragilität. Springer VS. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-658-02248-8_8. (link )

Robert, K., G. Broman and G. Basile. 2013. Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD). In: Anderson, R. C. ed., Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainability. Vol 6. Berkshire Publishing Group.

2011

Basile, G. 2011. Being strategic about sustainability: A pragmatic guide. Pp. 3-22 In: McNall, S. G., J. C. Hershauer and G. Basile eds., The Business of Sustainability: Trends, Policies, Practices, and Stories of Success, Volume 2: The Global Web: Designing, Manag. Vol 2. Praeger.

Basile, G., G. I. Broman and K. H. Robert. 2011. A systems-based approach to sustainable enterprise: requirements, utility and limits. Pp. 3-28 In: McNall, S. G., J. C. Hershauer and G. Basile eds., The Business of Sustainability: Trends, Policies, Practices, and Stories of Success, Volume I: Global Challenges and Opportunit. Praeger.

Posters

2012

Withycombe Keeler, L., A. Wiek, D. D. White, R. Quay, G. Basile, K. L. Larson and K. Jung. 2012. Value based scenarios: The future of water governance and use in Central Arizona-Phoenix. Poster presented February 19, 2012 at the AAAS Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC, Canada, February 16-20, 2012.

Presentations

2013

Basile, G., E. R. Vivoni, D. D. White, R. Pahle, J. Rodriguez, E. Cazares Rivera, J. Mahlknecht, A. I. Ramirez and R. Miranda. 2013. Water Innovation Consortium project. An integrated approach for sustainable water resources management in Latin America and the Caribbean: The San Juan River Basin pilot project. Presentation at the Inter-American Development Bank , June 4, 2013 , Inter-American Development Bank Headquarters, Washington, DC.

Basile, G., E. R. Vivoni, D. D. White, R. Pahle, J. Rodriguez, E. Cazares Rivera, J. Mahlknecht, A. I. Ramirez and R. Miranda. 2013. Water Innovation Consortium project. An integrated approach for sustainable water resources management in Latin America and the Caribbean: The San Juan River Basin pilot project. Presentation at the Inter-American Development Bank , July 26, 2013 , The McCain Institute, Washington, DC.

2012

White, D. D., A. Wiek, L. Withycombe Keeler, K. L. Larson, R. Quay and G. Basile. 2012. Selecting and assessing distinct scenarios for sustainable water governance strategies in Phoenix, Arizona USA. Presented June 18, 2012 at the 18th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management (ISSRM), June 17-22, 2012, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

2010

Brundiers, K., G. M. Garfin, G. Basile, R. Bark and R. Quay. 2010. Moving beyond predictions: An integrative approach to downscaling and robust decision making. Presented October 15, 2010 at the International Conference on Urbanization and Global Environmental Change. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.

Brundiers, K., G. M. Garfin, P. Gober, G. Basile and R. H. Bark. 2010. Collaborative research for water resource management under climate change conditions. Presented December 13, 2010 at the 2010 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

Reports

2019

Forrest, N., A. Wiek and G. Basile. 2019. Cooperative busiess training. School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.