About Sarah…
I focus my time and energy on projects, roles, and activities that contribute to transformational change towards a supportive, just, sustainable, renewable, and thriving society.
Based at the University of Edinburgh Business School, I am an Associate Professor in Climate Change and Business Strategy, and am the immediate past Director of the Centre for Business, Climate Change, and Sustainability (B-CCaS).
Teaching
Teaching and education are my passions. I aim to inspire as well as inform my students, be they first year undergraduates or experienced professionals in executive education programmes. I am passionate about helping people uncover their own voice, by increasing their foundational knowledge, learning universal skills, and developing personal characteristics to become more informed, effective, and successful students, graduates, global citizens, and human beings.
“You will never do anything in the world without courage”
Research
My research focuses on the intersection of sustainability and business, and on integrating critical thinking into learning and teaching pedagogy in a university context. I am interested in alternative forms of organising, such as social enterprise, and the role of business in society.
My book Becoming a Critical Thinker: for your university studies and beyond with Oxford University Press was released in January 2021.
Awards
In 2020, I was included in the University of Edinburgh Business School list of “100 alumni making an impact in their industry” released to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of teaching business at the University of Edinburgh. You can read more about this here.
In 2019 I was honoured to receive a prestigious Ideas Worth Teaching Award from the Aspen Institute presented to university faculty across the globe who “prepare future business leaders to tackle society’s largest challenges and create more inclusive – and just – version of capitalism.” This related to my first year undergraduate course entitled Global Challenges for Business at the University of Edinburgh Business School. The course applies approaches to critical thinking (quality of argument, strength of evidence, clarity of communication) to the global challenges business are facing (such as digital, environmental, and social disruption).
I am passionate about connecting with like-minded people so that together we can create a society we are proud to live in and pass on to our children and grandchildren.
“A good education is the greatest gift you can give yourself or anyone else”
Becoming a Critical Thinker
My book Becoming a Critical Thinker: for your university studies and beyond with Oxford University Press was released in January 2021. It draws on over a decade of teaching in a UK university context, and most recently my experience designing and delivering an award winning first year undergraduate course which explicitly incorporates and teaches elements of critical thinking. Read more about the course and award here or get in touch.
“Sarah is simply awesome. As a lecturer she is inspirational, as a researcher she is formidable, and as a colleague she is a rock.”
