Firooza Pavri, PhD

Firooza Pavri is Professor of Geography and Associate Dean of the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine (USM), where she works at the intersection of geography, public policy, and community engagement. Trained as a geographer with expertise in geospatial technologies and satellite remote sensing, her research examines how landscapes change over time from climate variability, economic development, and resource use—and how communities adapt to those changes.

Dr. Pavri’s work is grounded in long-term, place-based research that integrates Earth-observation data with social science methods. She has led and collaborated on projects across Greenland, Iceland, the United States, and India, combining satellite data, landscape metrics, and participatory research with farmers, lake stewards, and local stakeholders. Her recent work in South Greenland and Iceland focuses on climate-related vulnerabilities in sub-Arctic sheep-farming communities.

She is the co-author of articles and books on environmental change, including Wetland Environments: A Global Perspective. Her latest co-authored book published by Wiley IEEE, Wind Energy Landscape: Principles, Techniques, History, synthesizes the science, technology, history, public policy and visual dimensions of wind energy development, offering a globally comparative and landscape-based framework for understanding this sector.

In addition to her research, Dr. Pavri serves in a leadership role in higher education at USM. As Associate Dean of the Muskie School of Public Service, she currently helps guide interdisciplinary programs spanning geography & anthropology, policy, planning & management, public health, and tourism & hospitality. She recently completed a term as President of the New England–St. Lawrence Valley Geographical Society and serves on advisory boards related to environmental stewardship and nonprofit governance.

Dr. Pavri teaches courses in society–environment geography, geospatial technologies, land-use planning, and global environmental change. She is deeply committed to student research, experiential learning, and translating geospatial science into tools that support public decision-making and community resilience.

See here for a list of Dr. Pavri’s recent publications.