Susan Slocum

Dr. Susan Slocum is a Professor at George Mason University's College of Education and Human Development, affiliated with the School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management. She holds a PhD from Clemson University and has held academic positions at the University of Bedfordshire (UK) and Utah State University. From 2016–2020, she served as Academic Program Coordinator for the Tourism and Events Management program.

Research Interests: Dr. Slocum specializes in sustainable economic development through tourism, with emphasis on rural communities, policy implementation, and social justice. Her work spans global contexts including the US, UK, Belarus, and Tanzania. Key research areas include sustainable tourism, agritourism, poverty reduction, and community-based destination branding.

Publications: Her recent work (2017–2023) addresses emerging challenges in tourism, including COVID-19 resilience in rural economies, climate change impacts on hospitality, regulatory issues in short-term rentals (Airbnb), and sustainability in festival tourism. She frequently employs case studies from diverse geographic settings.

Awards & Honors:

• Fulbright Scholar (2019–2020)
• Nominated for Teaching Excellence Award (2016)

Professional Leadership: Dr. Slocum serves on the Board of Directors for Visit Fairfax and holds editorial roles with Tourism Planning and Development, Event Management, Annali del Turismo, International Journal of Tourism Policy, and Sustainability.