Forum on Project Leadership: John Taylor

John E. Taylor
Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Columbia University

Role: Moderator

Bio: John E. Taylor, PhD, is an assistant professor in Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. He is the Co-Executive Director of the Center for Project Leadership and the Director of the Project Network Dynamics Lab at Columbia University. Dr. Taylor received his PhD from Stanford University on the topic of innovation in project networks and his research continues to explore how firms in project networks adapt to disruptive changes. As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Taylor developed his early interest in project network dynamics while working with the United Nations to model and address fraudulent freight traffic across national borders. Dr. Taylor develops computational simulation models in his research to explore concepts derived from field and laboratory research. By grounding simulation in field and experimental data, he is able to test, extend and develop new organizational theory for project networks. He currently holds an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Industry Studies Fellowship and is the recipient of a number of best paper awards. He has received research funding from the National Science Foundation, the Earth Institute, the Construction Industry Institute and other public and private funding sources. He is the founder of two technology startups serving project-based industries and has five years of experience working as a project leader and manager.