Rajesh Buch

Rajesh Buch serves as Professor of Practice at Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management while holding key leadership roles including Director of Business Development for the Rob & Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service, Circular Economy Practice Lead, and Director of Sustainability Practice with ASU’s International Development office. He is additionally affiliated with the Biodesign Center for Sustainable Macromolecular Materials and Manufacturing and maintains an active research profile connecting academic innovation with real-world sustainability challenges.

Buch's research centers on ethical circular economy frameworks, with specialization in waste management systems, sustainable business models, and urban resource flows. He integrates engineering principles with social equity considerations to develop inclusive solutions, particularly focusing on cooperative structures for waste pickers, plastic recycling innovation, and built environment sustainability. His work consistently bridges technical analysis and community engagement across municipal, national, and international contexts.

Analysis of his publication record reveals a strategic evolution from foundational engineering research toward applied circular economy solutions. Recent work increasingly incorporates AI-driven analysis for textile sustainability and solid waste prediction, while maintaining strong emphasis on practical implementation through micro-factories, cooperative business models, and policy frameworks. His scholarship demonstrates consistent alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in responsible consumption and climate action.

Buch has successfully secured substantial research funding including a $2.75 million City of Phoenix RISN program, $1.6 million ABOR grant for recycling innovation, and multiple USAID projects exceeding $600,000. His funding portfolio spans municipal governments, federal agencies like USDA and Office of Naval Research, international development organizations, and private sector partners including Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings.

As an academic advisor, Buch has mentored six graduate students through thesis completion since 2014, with recent work focusing on ethical circular economy frameworks, life cycle assessment limitations, and construction waste leverage points. His students consistently address practical implementation challenges while contributing to academic discourse in sustainability science.

He leads the Rob & Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service, a university-based practice connecting ASU researchers with public and private sector partners to co-create sustainability solutions. This initiative operates as a hybrid knowledge and discovery platform with physical presence in the RISN Incubator and international reach through USAID partnerships, fostering innovation in circular economy implementation at multiple scales.