WEBSITE
https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/maria_lopez
BIOGRAPHY
Maria Claudia Lopez Perez is a Professor in the Department of Community Sustainability at Michigan State University. Her research focuses on sustainability, environmental governance, collective action, environmental justice, and rural development, with a particular emphasis on community-engaged and transdisciplinary approaches to addressing complex social-ecological challenges. Her work spans Latin America, Africa, and other regions, examining how institutions, local knowledge, and stakeholder participation shape outcomes related to natural resource governance, food systems, renewable energy, and community resilience.
Dr. Lopez Perez collaborates closely with local communities, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and interdisciplinary research teams to co-produce knowledge that supports equitable and sustainable development. Her recent work has explored topics including bioeconomy transitions in the Amazon Basin, renewable energy access for off-grid communities, water governance, climate adaptation, and the role of local and Indigenous communities in sustainability transformations.
In addition to her research, Dr. Lopez Perez is deeply committed to teaching, mentoring, and international community-engaged scholarship. She has mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students and has contributed to curriculum development and experiential learning initiatives that connect students with real-world sustainability challenges. In recognition of her collaborative and community-centered work, she received the Michigan State University Distinguished Partnership Award for International Community-Engaged Scholarship in 2024.
AREA OF EXPERTISE
- Sustainability
- Environmental governance
- Collective action
- Environmental justice
- Rural development