Ronald Duncan

Ronald Duncan is an Instructor in the School of Earth, Society & Environment at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses on sustainable social enterprises, subsistence marketplaces, and low-literacy populations in marginalized communities. He teaches courses in sustainable business development and organizational sustainability.

Education:

• Post-Graduate Studies in Workforce Education and Development (2004-2005), Southern Illinois University
• M.Sc. in Management (1996-1998), Oakland City University
• B.Sc. in Human Resource Management (1989-1991), Oakland City University
• Associate Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology (1984-1986), University of Southern Indiana

Research Interests: Duncan explores how subsistence-level entrepreneurs adapt to crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing resilience and market innovation. His work bridges sustainable product design with policy implications for low-income healthcare access. He co-authored a manual for marketplace literacy education and advocates for bottom-up policy frameworks in health and economic systems.

Publications Trends: His recent work highlights global virtual immersion strategies, post-pandemic empathy in business, and labor market dynamics across decades. Earlier contributions include technical studies on refrigeration systems and 1970s labor economics.

Affiliations: Active in the Subsistence Marketplaces Initiative at UIUC, collaborating on educational materials and policy research. Office located at 3081 Natural History Building, Urbana, IL.