Sanaz Alasti

Dr. Sanaz Alasti is a Professor in the Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice at Lamar University, where she has been since 2006. She is the Director of the Center for Death Penalty Studies, established in 2013, which has gained national and international recognition through conferences, publications, and research initiatives. Her work focuses on the death penalty, particularly its application in Texas, and she collaborates with scholars globally.

Dr. Alasti holds a background from Harvard Law School and previously taught in San Francisco. At Lamar University, she values the supportive academic environment, student engagement, and opportunities for interdisciplinary research. The Center organizes annual conferences featuring international speakers and offers specialized courses in death penalty studies for graduate and undergraduate students. She emphasizes the Center’s neutral stance, fostering open dialogue on the death penalty rather than advocating a single perspective.

Her contributions include mentoring students in research projects and fostering institutional collaborations. She highlights Lamar University’s role in providing a vibrant academic community, reflected in her daughter’s affection for the campus. Despite occasional classroom dynamics, Dr. Alasti underscores the university’s administrative and collegial support.