Cat Summers, PhD

I am a social scientist studying the microfoundations of organizational change. My research reflects my passion for assisting leaders and organizations in navigating sustainability and justice challenges.

I am currently a post-doctoral research fellow at the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise and the Leadership Initiative at the University of Michigan. My research focuses on leaders that seek to protect nature and human beings. I am interested in why and when individuals pursue complex forms of justice, like environmental justice, and the emergence of non-prototypical leaders that challenge market systems. 

I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Virginia's Convergent Behavioral Science Initiative, jointly hosted by the School of Engineering and Darden Business School. Prior to completing my PhD, I worked for almost a decade in environmental non-profits, managing corporate donors and working with campaigners on award-winning community projects. In my spare time, you will find me outside with my dog.