Elena Lioubimtseva completed Ph.D. in environmental geography at Moscow State University, Russia, in 1994. She conducted research at School of Geography and Environment, Oxford University, UK, and School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Louvain, Belgium. Since 2000 she has been teaching at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, United States, where she holds a position of an Associate Professor of Geography and Planning and Director of Environmental Studies Program. Her research interests include human vulnerability and adaptations to climate change, landscape ecology, and land-use and landcover changes in Central Eurasia. Dr. Lioubimtseva is a member of the Association of American Geographers, Association for Environmental Studies and Science, and Central Eurasian Studies Society. She is an author of more than 40 articles and book chapters. Elena Lioubimtseva gave presentations at UVSQ in June and October 2012 and is developing the new student exchange program between UVSQ and GVSU.