Weronika Kusek

Dr. Weronika Kusek serves as Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director in Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences at Northern Michigan University, where she has taught since 2014. Her leadership roles include Provost Fellow (2024-2026) and active service on NMU's Strategic Plan DEIB Committee and Internationalization Senate Committee.

Educational background:

• B.A. in Geography, University of Toledo (2008)
• M.A. in Geography, University of Toledo (2010)
• Ph.D. in Geography, Kent State University (2014)

Her research centers on human and cultural geography with emphases on migration, diaspora formation, and urban placemaking, particularly examining Polish communities across London, Australia, and Central/Eastern Europe. Current projects investigate immigrant integration in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and digital diaspora networks, employing transnational frameworks to analyze identity negotiation, economic adaptation, and community resilience. Her work bridges theoretical geography with practical community applications through museum collaborations and policy-relevant housing studies.

Recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on transnational migration patterns, with increasing attention to rural contexts and methodological innovation in studying marginalized communities. Her scholarship connects European migration dynamics to North American experiences through comparative analysis of diaspora economies and urban transformations.

Scientific awards:

• Excellence in Teaching Award (2020-2021)

Through NMU's First Year Mentoring Program and Graduate Program Directorship, Kusek actively develops student research opportunities, including faculty-student projects on UP housing dynamics. Her service extends to national leadership as former Chair of AAG's Committee on Status of Women in Geography (2018-2019) and current Board Member of AAG's Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality Specialty Group.

Kusek collaborates with the Upper Peninsula Children's Museum on community projects and leads strategic initiatives through NMU's Presidential Learning Network, focusing on equitable student success and internationalization at home strategies.