معرفی
Sarah E. Mendelson serves as Distinguished Service Professor of Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College, where she has been faculty since 2018. Beginning September 2024, she leads CMU's new Center for Sustainable Futures initiative. Previously, she served as Head of CMU's Heinz College in Washington, DC from January 2018 to August 2024. She maintains multiple significant affiliations including as nonresident Senior Fellow with the Center for Sustainable Development at the Brookings Institution, co-chair of SDSN US, and board member of the Free Russia Foundation.
Her research focuses on Sustainable Development Goals implementation, human rights frameworks, climate resilience, and energy policy. Mendelson approaches these areas through the lens of public policy, emphasizing how universities can bridge global frameworks with local implementation. Her work centers on creating people-centered data systems that reveal community needs and identify local solutions, leveraging AI to close data gaps in sustainable development efforts.
Her recent publications highlight trends in sustainable development implementation, with particular emphasis on SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions), the integration of socioeconomic rights across multiple SDGs, and innovative approaches to human rights education. She has pioneered the concept of a 'Community of Practice' to develop the next generation of human rights experts through SDG frameworks.
- Co-chairs CMU's Sustainability Initiative
- Faculty affiliate of the Scott Institute for Energy Innovation
- Member of Council on Foreign Relations
- Former US Representative to UN's ECOSOC (2015-2017)
- Former Deputy Assistant Administrator at USAID (2010-2014)
Mendelson has advised numerous government agencies and international organizations on human rights, democracy promotion, and sustainable development. Her work on the 'Digital Dunkirk' evacuation effort from Afghanistan demonstrates her ability to translate academic frameworks into practical crisis response. She has established collaborative networks connecting CMU with global partners and local communities to design data systems that address pressing socioeconomic needs while identifying locally-grounded solutions.
