Shannon O'Lear is a Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Kansas. Her research has focused on energy, environment, and politics in the South Caucasus. She has also published on environmental terrorism, territorial conflict, and genocide. She teaches courses on environmental policy, environmental geopolitics, and on Russia and Eurasia. She has won a prestigious W. T. Kemper Fellowship for her teaching and her work with students. She is an active member of the Association of American Geographers and has served as President of the Political Geography and the Russian, Central Eurasian and East European specialty groups of the AAG. In addition to her teaching and research, Dr O'Lear is active in outreach to encourage students to become more thoughtfully engaged in geography and environmental studies. She is highly respected by both faculty and students as an outstanding researcher, teacher, and mentor.