Diana Dushkova

Diana Dushkova is a Senior Researcher at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ in Leipzig, Germany. Her academic background includes a PhD in Geography (summa cum laude, Moscow State University, 2008) and a M.Sc. in Geography (Moscow State University, 2005). She has held postdoctoral positions at Humboldt University Berlin and Moscow State University, with guest research at Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography and Martin Luther University Halle.

• Current Affiliation: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Department of Conservation Biology & Social-Ecological Systems
• Past Affiliations: Humboldt University Berlin (2017–2020), Moscow State University (2014–2017), Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (2013–2014)

Her research focuses on nature-based solutions (NBS), urban ecosystem services, and social-ecological systems, with an emphasis on how blue-green infrastructure enhances urban resilience and human well-being. She explores therapeutic landscapes, environmental risks, and co-creation models for NBS implementation. Her work spans European and Russian contexts, addressing climate change, post-socialist urban transitions, and sustainable development.

Dushkova’s recent publications (2021–2025) cover topics such as urban greening in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, empowerment programs for coastal communities, and ecosystem service assessments in Russian cities. She evaluates NBS impact through frameworks like the RECONECT project and advocates for interdisciplinary collaboration in urban planning.

She supervises B.Sc. and M.Sc. students and contributes to EU Horizon 2020 projects like RECONECT (Grant 776866) and EmpowerUs (Grant 10105995). Her methodological expertise includes cartographic modeling, ecosystem service valuation, and social construction of landscapes.

Dushkova collaborates with institutions such as Humboldt University Berlin, Moscow State University, and Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography. She leads projects like the Leibniz-DAAD initiative on cultural landscapes and the DAAD-East-Partnership on urban ecosystem services.