Sara Soderstrom

Sara Soderstrom is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan, affiliated with the Organizational Studies and Program in the Environment departments. Her research explores how corporations address societal sustainability challenges, focusing on organizational structures, diversity, equity, inclusion, and coalition-building within institutions.

• Education:
  • MSE in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan
  • BSE in Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan
  • Doctorate from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
  • Postdoctoral Fellow at Erb Institute

Soderstrom investigates how individuals within organizations mobilize stakeholders and access decision-makers to implement sustainability initiatives. Her current work examines intersections of diversity, equity, and inclusion with sustainability, emphasizing systemic reforms and multi-sectoral collaboration.

Recent publications highlight themes such as leadership in energy transitions, paradoxical thinking for sustainable business models, and the role of embedded activism in climate solutions. She teaches undergraduate students and executive participants in Erb’s Sustainability Academy.