Her research and teaching interests lie at the intersection of international relations and comparative politics, particularly in the areas of conflict and political economy. Her dissertation, entitled The Post- War Dilemma: War Outcomes, State Capabilities, and Economic Development after Civil War, examined the way in which civil war outcomes and state capacity affect the post-war strategies of important economic actors and how these strategies in turn affect post-war economic growth. In addition to her work on post-civil war development, she is currently working on a project examining international cooperation on migration policy. Sarah earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Davis in 2012 and a B.A. in International Relations from Mount Holyoke College in 2002.