Sarah Mills

Sarah Mills is a Lecturer at the Program in the Environment and a postdoctoral fellow at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP). She holds a PhD in urban and regional planning from the University of Michigan, a master’s in engineering for sustainable development from the University of Cambridge, and a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Villanova University. Her work focuses on renewable energy policy impacts on rural communities, particularly wind and solar energy development, combining environmental governance with community engagement strategies.

Her research interests include the intersection of energy policy and community sustainability, public opinion on environmental issues, and local government fiscal health. She emphasizes proactive planning approaches to mitigate opposition in energy projects and explores how zoning ordinances and tax policies influence renewable energy adoption. Sarah leads the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) as project manager and contributes to the National Surveys on Energy and Environment (NSEE), analyzing trends in public acceptance and policy effectiveness.

Sarah’s academic contributions span over a decade, with recent emphasis on solar and wind energy deployment challenges, climate policy communication, and the role of local governments in environmental decision-making. Her work bridges technical policy analysis with sociocultural dimensions, addressing questions of equity, procedural justice, and stakeholder collaboration in energy transitions.

She actively participates in interdisciplinary teams focused on Great Lakes regional sustainability, climate mitigation strategies, and fiscal governance frameworks. Her research often highlights pragmatic solutions for balancing economic development with environmental stewardship in rural contexts.