Sarah began studying small-scale, community-owned power generation as part of an international field studies course in south-west China. This project sparked an interest in the role local resources can play in sustainable community development. This formed the basis of Sarah’s MA, which examined the use of community owned small hydro as a tool for sustainable community development. Following the completion of her Masters, Sarah held a position as an Environmental Planner and Project Manager where she focused on the planning and assessment of large scale infrastructure developments (e.g., power transmission) and corporate social responsibility. This experience provoked questions surrounding the planning and revitalization of critical infrastructure and its links to sustainable development, which led Sarah to the PhD program at REM. Sarah is a member of the Canadian Association of Geographers and is a part of a team of researchers from across the country studying Canadian Regional Development.
Sarah’s doctoral research examines the role infrastructure plays in regional development, including how rural restructuring is changing the way infrastructure planning and development is approached in rural Canada and the potential impacts on sustainable development. Using a case study approach, her project examines the potential of using a New Regionalism framework to address the revitalization of water-related infrastructure. For more on Sarah see her website: http://www.rem.sfu.ca/water/people/sarah-breen/ 