Benjamin Goldstein

Benjamin Goldstein is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, where he leads the Sustainable Urban-Rural Futures (SURF) lab. His work bridges quantitative methods (life cycle assessment, input-output analysis, geospatial data science) with social science theory to explore urban sustainability, distributive justice, and global supply chains. His research spans urban food systems, agri-commodities, residual resource engineering, and energy systems.

Recent trends in his publications focus on urban agriculture's environmental trade-offs, supply chain transparency, and carbon-negative construction materials. He applies data science to map sustainability challenges across urban and rural landscapes while critically analyzing power asymmetries in global industries like beef production and cannabis cultivation. His work emphasizes actionable tools for policymakers and corporations to address environmental justice and resource efficiency.