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Sarah Surak

Sarah Surak teaches in both the Environmental Studies and Political Science Departments. Her areas of expertise include environmental politics, environmental political theory, social theory, industrial ecology, comparative politics and German politics. She holds a Ph.D. in Planning, Governance and Globalization from Virginia Tech. Her dissertation, entitled "Bringing in the Garbage: Opening a Critical Space for Vehicle Disposal Practices," analyzes the policies and theories underlying German vehicle recycling laws.

Surak holds a BA in political science and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Before returning to school to complete her Ph.D., she worked for five years coordinating campus greening activities at the University of Tennessee--first as a recycling coordinator and then as the sustainability manager. She has presented her research at a variety of conferences ranging from the international Society of Solid Waste Management and Technology to the American Political Science Association annual meeting.