Dr. Maria Ivanova is Assistant Professor of Government and Environmental Policy at The College of William and Mary and the Director of the Global Environmental Governance (GEG) Project at the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy. Her research focuses on global environmental governance, the effectiveness of the United Nations, and the role of the United States in international environmental affairs. Her recent work analyzes the history and performance of the international environmental architecture with a focus on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the evolution of US international environmental policy. In addition, Dr. Ivanova's research and teaching have included campus sustainability with an eye toward creating appropriate governance frameworks for higher education institutions including faculty, staff, and students. From June 2009 to June 2010, Dr. Ivanova will be a fellow in residence at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washingon, DC.

A Bulgarian national, Dr. Ivanova holds graduate degrees in international relations and environmental policy from Yale University. She has worked at the Environment Directorate of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris and at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency in Stockholm on water quality standards and environmental regulatory reform in Russia. She is the co-editor of "Global Environmental Governance: Options & Opportunities" (with Daniel Esty) and author and co-author of articles and chapters on governance, globalization, and the environment. Recently, she assisted with the conceptualization, drafting and dissemination of a volume on "Global Environmental Governance: Perspectives on the Current Debate" published by the Center for UN Reform Education.

Maria Ivanova teaches undergraduate, graduate, and professional courses in Global Environmental Governance, International Organizations, Climate Change, Environmental Diplomacy, and Campus Sustainability and was recognized as Professor of the Year in 2007 by student society Members XIII.

Education