Sarah Komisarow
Assistant Professor of Public Policy and economics
Sarah Komisarow received her MA (2012) and PhD (2016) in Economics from the University of Chicago and her BA (2008) in Public Policy Studies from Duke University. Her research focuses on K-12 education policy in the United States, with particular emphasis on how public policies and programs “outside the classroom” influence student outcomes in K-12. She teaches public policy courses on econometrics/statistics, quantitative research methods, and education policy. Sarah’s favorite memories from her undergraduate experience at Duke include living in Crowell Quad, standing alone on top of the Duke Chapel (with permission!), and spending time with friends. She currently lives in Durham with her husband and three daughters.
What are you most looking forward to as a Faculty Fellow?
I am deeply passionate about working with students in partnership to explore ways to integrate residential, social, and intellectual life at Duke. I am excited to engage with students as they navigate Duke, learn, and grow together.
What advice would you give to current undergraduates?
Be patient with yourself, especially when trying new things (new class, new major, new friends, new club, etc.).
What is something you think students should know during their time at Duke?
Learning opportunities show up inside and outside of the classroom every single day. Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone -- take a class in a subject that is new to you, sit-in on a lecture on a topic you don't know much about... You never know what you might learn or discover. I took one linguistics class and two cultural anthropology classes at Duke because I thought the course descriptions looked interesting -- my current professional work does not touch on these subjects, but I still think about some of the topics we covered to this day!