Panel Discussion: Nature in Danger

A Panel Discussion on Nature in Danger
Environmental Impacts and Implications of War in Ukraine

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 from 3 to 7 PM

Join us for a critical discussion on the environmental toll of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the path toward recovery. This two-session event, presented by the Ukrainian Institute of America and Ukrainian Jersey City, will explore both the devastating impact of the war on Ukraine’s ecosystems and the urgent efforts underway to restore and protect the country’s natural future. A distinguished group of expert practitioners working on the ground in Ukraine will lead the panel discussions, sharing firsthand insights and solutions.

This event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is requested. Donations are appreciated.

PROGRAM

2:30 PM Registration – Coffee – Networking

3:00 PM Opening Remarks

3:15 PM Session 1: Scarred Lands: The War’s Devastation of Ukraine’s Environment

• Oleksandr Borsuk, Deputy Head of the Science Department, Сhornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve (via zoom)
• Prof. Calvin Norman, Assistant Teaching Professor of Forestry, Penn State – College of Agricultural Sciences
• Corey Scher, Postdoctoral Researcher, Conflict Ecology Lab, Oregon State University
  
• Taylor Zajicek, Mellon Teaching Fellow in the Harriman Institute, Columbia University
• Moderator: Oksana Kukurudza, Ukrainian Jersey City

4:15 PM Coffee Break

4:30 PM Session 2: Restoring Life: Reclaiming Ukraine’s Ecosystems and Future

• Brian Milakovsky, Researcher, Regional East European Fire Monitoring Center
• Serhiy Shevchenko, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor, Lviv Polytechnic National University, Founder of the NGO ‘Generation of Warm Ukraine’ (via zoom)
• Gabriel Steinberg, Co-Founder, Demining Research Community and Co-Founder and Lead Software Engineer, Safe Pro AI
• Chris Whatley, Executive Director, HALO USA
• Moderator: Jasper Baur, PhD Candidate, Dept of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University

5:30 PM Closing Remarks

5:45 PM Reception

PARTICIPANTS

Jasper Baur is the Cofounder and Lead Scientist at Safe Pro AI and President of the Demining Research Community. He is also a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University, specializing in remote sensing applied to explosive hazard mitigation. At Safe Pro AI, he leads the development of SpotlightAI, a drone-based tool for detecting and mapping explosive ordnance in Ukraine. His work combines geophysics, machine learning, and drone technology to improve humanitarian demining practices.

Dr. Oleksandr Borsuk is the Deputy Head of the Science Department at the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve. He has worked in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone since 2010 and holds a Ph.D. in Silviculture and Forest Management. His research focuses on wildfire mapping, damage assessment, and post-fire forest regeneration. Dr. Borsuk plays a key role in environmental protection and forest management in one of the world’s most unique ecosystems.

Oksana Kukurudza is a management consultant and first-generation Ukrainian American with deep ties to Ukraine. She spent over two decades at Accenture, where she served as a Managing Director specializing in finance function transformation and post-merger integration. Oksana has also worked in public accounting and held finance roles in the U.S., Italy, and Ukraine. She is currently writing a book about her mother’s experience as a forced laborer during WWII, titled A Sunflower Bends But Rarely Breaks.

Brian Milakovsky is a forester who has worked on sustainable forest management in Ukraine, Sweden, Russia, and his native Maine. From 2015 to 2023, he lived in Sievierodonetsk, Ukraine, implementing USAID-funded economic recovery programs. After fleeing the full-scale invasion with his family, he returned to Maine, where he continues to work on environmental and recovery issues in Ukraine.

Calvin Norman is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Forestry at Pennsylvania State University, where he teaches Dendrology and Forest Measurements. He has led over a dozen webinars on the ecological impacts of war in Ukraine. His research and outreach help forest stakeholders respond to challenges like climate change, invasive species, and forest health threats.

Dr. Corey Scher is a postdoctoral researcher at Oregon State University’s Conflict Ecology group, specializing in satellite-based analysis of environmental impacts in conflict zones. His work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, CNN, and other major media outlets. Using radar data and cloud computing, Corey helps map damage and assess environmental outcomes of armed conflicts. He also organizes with the Conflict and Environment Academic Network and the Decentralized Damage Mapping Group.

Dr. Serhiy Shevchenko is an Associate Professor at Lviv Polytechnic National University and founder of the NGO Generation of Warm Ukraine. With over 20 years of experience in economics and public administration, his work focuses on environmental economics and sustainable development. Dr. Shevchenko leads community-driven restoration initiatives such as “Eco Fortress: Restoring Together,” aimed at healing ecosystems in war-affected areas.

Gabriel Steinberg is the Cofounder of Safe Pro AI and the Demining Research Community. Based in New York City, he has been a pioneer in using computer vision for humanitarian demining since 2019. His work has surveyed over 10,000 acres and helped detect nearly 25,000 landmines and UXO. Gabriel’s research is widely cited and reflects his commitment to using technology for global good.

Chris Whatley is the U.S. Executive Director of the HALO Trust, a leading humanitarian demining organization. Before joining HALO in 2019, he served as Executive Director of the United Nations Association of the USA and as Deputy Executive Director at The Council of State Governments. Earlier in his career, Chris led democracy programs in several African countries with the International Republican Institute.

Dr. Taylor Zajicek is a historian of Eurasia and the Middle East, currently affiliated with Columbia University’s Harriman Institute. His book-in-progress explores the environmental history of the Black Sea, tracing how geopolitical tensions have shaped the region’s ecosystems. Taylor’s research spans seven countries and six languages, and his fieldwork has been supported by Fulbright and other major grant organizations. He also works on projects related to Soviet conservation and Central Asian desert history.