I developed an appreciation for science while still in high school, about the same time I fell in love with severe beauty of Arctic. As I've always been a passionate traveler, applying to the Department of Geography of the Moscow State University (Moscow, Russia) felt natural. I have changed several schools since then, but I've been always faithful to my major. I have a B.Sc. in Geography from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, a MA in Geography from the University of Colorado-Boulder, where I'm currently working toward my PhD. My research is in climatology and I focus on the Arctic climate. My dissertation research investigates cyclone activity in the North Atlantic and its impact on the Arctic freshwater budget. I'm really interested in the upcoming International Polar Year (IPY). A successful IPY for me means that several years from now newly appointed professors would write in their bios that their interest in science began with the IPY, when they were introduced to polar research at their school, community center or local university.

I developed an appreciation for science while still in high school. At the same time I fell in love with the beauty of the Arctic. I changed schools a few times, but always remained in the same major of Geography. I have a B.Sc. in Geography from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a MA in Geography from the University of Colorado-Boulder. I'm working right now toward my PhD at the University of Colorado. My research is in climatology and I focus on the Arctic climate.

I'm really interested in the upcoming International Polar Year (IPY). A successful IPY for me means that several years from now newly appointed professors would write in their bios that their interest in science began with the IPY, when they were introduced to polar research at their school, community center or local university.

Maria fell in love with science while she was in high school. She also loves the Arctic!

She is a graduate student now in Geography. She researches the climate of the Arctic. A graduate student is someone who has finished all of school - even through college. Then they choose to study EVEN MORE! That means a graduate student might finish over 20 'grades' of school. Would you like to be in school that long?

Maria is very interested in the International Polar Year (IPY) of 2007-08. If you are interested in studying penguins in the Antarctic or the northern lights in the Arctic, you should check out the IPY page. Maybe you could be a graduate student someday too!