Maria C. Taylor

Maria C. Taylor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Her work focuses on the transnational history of urban greening, industrialization, and environmental politics in the USSR, emphasizing how Soviet urbanism and modernization shaped society-nature relations. She holds a Ph.D. in Architecture (History/Theory) from the University of Michigan, a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Washington, and advanced degrees in Russian Studies and Urban Studies.

Her research explores Soviet ecological design, climate justice, and comparative urban environmental history. Recent projects include a book manuscript on Soviet green city initiatives and articles analyzing Soviet factory landscaping and Cold War-era environmental policies. Taylor’s awards include the Princeton-Mellon Fellowship and Fulbright grants.

She teaches courses on Second World urbanism, landscape design theory, and comparative afforestation. Her grants and fellowships reflect her interdisciplinary approach to blending historical analysis with contemporary environmental challenges.