Sara Nawaz

Bio

Sara is the Director of Research at American University’s Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy and an adjunct professor at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia (UBC IRES). She is an environmental social scientist who studies social dimensions of emerging climate and environmental technologies, particularly carbon removal. Using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, she investigates how these technologies and related policies might be designed in just, equitable and responsible ways, including how to involve societal groups (e.g., local groups, Indigenous communities, experts, the public) in these processes. Her research sits at the intersection of science and technology studies, perceived risk, and decision sciences, and she is particularly interested in understanding how political economic contexts and conditions shape judgment on novel technologies. Sara completed her PhD at UBC IRES, and postdoctoral work at the Institute for Science, Innovation and Society at the University of Oxford. Prior to her PhD, she worked at Environmental Resources Management and the World Resources Institute. She also holds an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Oxford and a BA in economics from Swarthmore College.

Last updated January, 2024.