Dr. Lawrence Susskind

Lawrence E. Susskind serves as Ford Professor of Environmental Planning at MIT, where he has taught since 1971, while holding the position of Vice-Chair for Education at Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation. After earning degrees from Columbia University and MIT, he has established himself as a foundational figure in public dispute mediation and consensus building. As founder of the Consensus Building Institute in 1993, he has advised Supreme Courts internationally and facilitated major treaty-making efforts. His work spans environmental diplomacy, urban planning, and international conflict resolution, having trained over 30,000 professionals across various industries. Through the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program, he champions mediated approaches to international treaty-making and indigenous peoples' land claims. His academic impact includes developing over 100 role-play simulations and teaching materials used worldwide, while his practical influence extends to mediating disputes in more than 30 countries. A prolific author with more than 20 books translated into 10 languages, he has earned numerous honors including the Peacemaker of the Year Award and the Global Environmental Award, while maintaining visiting professorships at prestigious institutions across 20 countries