Maria Ivanova

Professor Maria Ivanova (Bluesky – LinkedIn) is the Director of the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs and co-director of the Plastics Center at Northeastern University, where she is also a professor of public policy. She is an expert in international environmental governance, sustainability, and the science-policy interface. She is the author of The Untold Story of UNEP at Fifty (MIT Press, 2021) and has published widely in leading journals. She has served on the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board, co-chaired major global prizes, and remains actively engaged in negotiations for a global treaty on plastic pollution. A 2025 Engaged Scholar Award recipient, she is committed to mentoring future leaders in public service.