Sjak Smulders

Prof. Sjak Smulders is a Full Professor of Economics at Tilburg University's Department of Economics and a member of the Tilburg Sustainability Centre. He holds affiliations with the University of Calgary (Adjunct Professor) and has held visiting roles at Stanford and Leipzig Universities. His research focuses on environmental/energy policies' impact on economic growth, climate economics, and sustainable development. He advises international organizations like the World Bank and OECD.

Education and Career: Earned his PhD, served as Leibniz Professor in Leipzig (2018–2019), and held the Svare Chair in Calgary (2006–2008). Taught courses in macroeconomics, growth theory, and environmental economics at undergraduate and graduate levels. Served as Academic Director of Tilburg's MSc Economics program (2010–2017).

Research Interests: Analyzes sustainable growth under environmental constraints, technological innovation for climate policy, and the interplay between energy transitions and economic structures. Key areas include geo-engineering, circular economy, and migration economics.

Awards/Grants: Recipient of the AERNA Best Paper Award (2016). Engaged in collaborative projects on climate damages, energy policy design, and international trade. Supervised over 20 PhD students, many now in academia and institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and central banks.

Labs/Teams: Active in Tilburg Sustainability Centre (TSC) and collaborates with CESifo, Kiel Institute, and global research networks on environmental and energy economics.