SARAH LOW, PROFESSOR AND head of the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics within the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has been named a Fellow of the Regional Science Association International — the highest honor in the field of regional science.

Low will be formally recognized at the 72nd Annual North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International, taking place Nov. 12–15, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. This honor is reserved for scholars who have made outstanding and sustained contributions to the advancement of regional science, an interdisciplinary field that examines the spatial dimensions of economics, geography, and planning.

Low began attending meetings of the Southern Regional Science Association (SRSA) and NARSC in 2004 and was the late Prof. Andrew Isserman’s last PhD student. She was president of SRSA 2018-19 and serves as the Chair of NARSC in 2025. For almost 15 years, she has co-organized the Regional/ Rural Development sessions at NARSC. She was the opening keynote speaker at the 2024 RSAI World Congress in Kecskemét and an editor of ERSA’s Global Challenges in Regional Science journal.

“I’m deeply honored to be recognized by my peers in this way,” Low said. “Regional science has tremendous potential to inform policy and decision- makers, while strengthening communities. When we listen, collaborate, and co-create knowledge, we can generate insights that truly improve local economies and people’s lives.”

A hallmark of Low’s research and leadership is her focus on connecting economic science with real-world decision-making to support regional economic development. Drawing on her experience in the federal government, she emphasizes the importance of collaboration with stakeholders and policymakers to ensure that research delivers practical value to communities. Her work spans topics such as business dynamics, broadband impacts, rural household prosperity, value-added agriculture, and the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Low’s recent publications highlight participatory research as a method to enhance both scientific rigor and community outcomes, including “Collaboration: A condition for Advancing Federal and State Rural Development Research”, “Rural Development: Perspectives from Federal and State Experiences with a Broadband Example” and “Integrating Research and Extension to Improve Community Participation in Broadband Projects.”

Sarah Low at graduation, with prof. Andy Isserman

Since August 2022, Low has served as professor and head of the ACE department in the College of ACES. As department head, Low continues to champion engagement and collaboration to deliver on the college’s land-grant mission, driving research that addresses pressing societal needs. Previously, Low held the Fred V. Heinkel Chair in Agriculture at the University of Missouri, where she served as the inaugural director of the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center, and a University of Missouri Extension specialist in regional economic and entrepreneurial development. Before entering academia, she spent a decade at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service in Washington, D.C.

“Sarah’s leadership embodies the spirit of our land-grant mission — translating academic insight into real-world impact,” said Germán Bollero, dean of the College of ACES. “Her recognition by RSAI affirms both her global influence and Illinois’ enduring strength in advancing regional science.”

Low earned her bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, master’s degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University, and doctorate in agricultural and consumer economics from Illinois, which has produced an outsized number of RSAI Fellows over the decades, reflecting the university’s leadership in shaping this discipline.

Adapted from ACES News, University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign, with permission. Original article: “Sarah Low Named Fellow of the Regional Science Association International.”

(Published on RSAI Newsletter 2025 November)