Samuel Garang Akau’s research interests include Returns to Technical and Vocational Education Trainings, TVETs, in developing countries, contracting and accountability in fragile contexts, opportunities and Perils of China-Africa Resources-for-Infrastructure financing model, the nexus between technology and the rule of law and the role in curtailing cattle rustling phenomenon in the Horn of Africa, and the role of social networks and digital media platforms in expanding or shrinking the civic space.

Before joining UNC-Chapel Hill, Samuel was Co-founder and Executive Director of the Sawa Sawa Network, a multimedia initiative building peace in South Sudan and its Diaspora. Prior to that, Samuel was Lecturer and Deputy Dean for Management at the University of Juba, South Sudan.

Samuel holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, Creative Writing, from Stanford and a Master of Public Policy, Quantitative Methods, from American University.