Sarah Mills

Professor Sarah Mills is a Professor of Human Geography and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS) at Loughborough University's School of Social Sciences and Humanities. She serves as Research and Innovation Director for Geography and Environment and Cluster Lead for 'Digital Communities and Inclusion'. Her academic career spans over a decade at Loughborough University, progressing from Lecturer to her current Professorship since 2023, with prior experience as an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Leicester.

Dr. Mills' research critically examines childhood, youth, education, citizenship and volunteering, with particular focus on refugee youth experiences, digital geographies, and the politics of volunteering. Her work bridges theoretical and empirical approaches to understanding how young people navigate citizenship, migration, and digital spaces, often through comparative case studies in Uganda and the UK. Recent projects explore the intersection of gaming and gambling behaviors among children, the impact of digital interfaces on citizenship practices, and the complex role of volunteering in refugee integration.

Her extensive publication record reveals a clear trajectory toward examining the digital dimensions of childhood and youth experiences, with increasing focus on refugee youth in Uganda and the relationship between gaming cultures and citizenship practices. The geographical scope of her work has expanded from primarily UK-based studies to more international comparative research, particularly in East Africa.

• Gill Memorial Award, Royal Geographical Society (2017)
• AAG Political Geography Speciality Group's Outstanding Research Award (2015)
• Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (2024)
• Multiple Loughborough University teaching and research awards

Professor Mills actively contributes to the academic community through editorial roles including Co-Editor of Geopolitics (2018-2020) and membership on the editorial boards of Social & Cultural Geography and Environment and Planning A. She has held significant committee positions with the Royal Geographical Society's Geographies of Children, Youth and Families Research Group, serving as Treasurer, Chair, and currently as an Ordinary Committee Member. Her policy engagement includes membership in the College of Experts for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Political Literacy.