Sarah Bassett

Sarah Bassett is a Professor of Practice in the Emergency Management & Homeland Security program at Arizona State University's School of Public Affairs. She co-Directs the Resilient Visions (RV) CoLab and is affiliated with the ASU Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and Watts College Interdisciplinary Programs.

Education

• BFA, Columbia College
• MUP, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Research Interests

Bassett's work focuses on transdisciplinary planning practices addressing the social and spatial effects of natural and technological hazards. Her approach emphasizes community partnerships to manage risks under uncertain conditions, leveraging place-based practices, spatial computing, and policy advocacy to align local needs with long-range planning. This research supports humane urbanism and policy change across domains like climate adaptation, mass incarceration, geopolitical conflict, and terminal disease.

Leadership and Recognition

• Elected to the American Planning Association’s Technology Division national board (2022)
• Co-founder and director of urbanism at Peoples Culture (New York City)
• Work featured in New York Times, archived by The Smithsonian Institution, and showcased in MIT's Co-Creation Studio

Practice and Impact

She has led climate adaptation and disaster recovery projects in the U.S. East and Southwest, influencing policy changes in North Carolina and New York. Her prior work at major planning firms involved establishing new offices, expanding practice areas, and regional leadership in infrastructure and planning initiatives.