Matthew Potoski

Matthew Potoski is a Professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara. He joined in 2011 after serving on the faculty at Iowa State University. His expertise spans corporate environmental management, voluntary environmental programs, and public policy analysis. He co-authored The Voluntary Environmentalists (Cambridge, 2006) and co-edits the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management and International Public Management Journal.

• PhD in Political Science (Indiana University)
• MA in Political Science (University of Vermont)
• BA in Government (Franklin and Marshall College)

His research focuses on transaction costs in public contracting, environmental governance, and collaborative strategies in public-private partnerships. He investigates how voluntary programs and certifications like ISO 14001 influence corporate behavior and policy outcomes. His work bridges political science and environmental management, emphasizing practical solutions for sustainability challenges.

Key awards include Iowa State University’s LAS Early and Midcareer Awards for Research Achievement. He teaches courses such as ESM 280: Practical Solutions in Business and Sustainability and ESM 281: Advanced Business and Sustainability.

His research highlights the financial and administrative challenges of public procurement, particularly in complex contracts, and explores how collective reputations and institutional designs affect corporate environmental strategies. Current projects include analyzing textile waste in apparel supply chains and the impact of government contracting on transaction costs.