Driving sustainable change through research and service

Sabrina V. Helm, PhD — 2025 University Faculty Service Award Recipient, John and Doris Norton School of Human Ecology

As part of the Luminaries Outstanding Faculty Awards, Dr. Sabrina V. Helm has been recognized with the 2025 University Faculty Service Award for her exceptional contributions to research, teaching, and service in the College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences.

Dr. Helm earned her PhD in business administration from the University of Duesseldorf, Germany. Before joining the University of Arizona, she worked in industry and served as Professor of Strategic Marketing at Witten/Herdecke University, a leading private university in Germany. She relocated to Tucson in 2008 and was appointed Associate Professor in Retailing and Consumer Science, where she also holds the PetSmart Endowed Chair.

Dr. Helm’s research focuses on sustainable consumption, marketing’s role in overconsumption and climate change, mental health effects of climate change, psychological adaptation and coping responses, and mindful teaching approaches addressing climate change. She collaborates with a network of international colleagues and serves on the Macromarketing Society board to critically assess and transform teaching approaches in business schools worldwide.

Her work has been published in high-profile journals, including Journal of Marketing, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Macromarketing, and Global Environmental Change, and has been featured widely in local, national, and international media. At the University of Arizona, Dr. Helm teaches consumer behavior, retail strategy, and sustainable business, supporting educational initiatives on environmental sustainability across campus and beyond.

Through her scholarship, service, and commitment to student success, Dr. Helm exemplifies the Wildcat spirit of curiosity, creativity, and transformative impact that defines the Luminaries Awards.