An environmental seminar featuring policies and efforts occurring in the Ukraine will be presented by Tetiana Hardashuk today at 4 p.m. in Room 353 of Catt Hall.

The seminar, “Nature Conservation Policy in Ukraine and its International Context” is open to the public.

Hardashuk, who has been in residence at Iowa State for about two months, is an expert adviser to Ukraine’s parliament and heads an environmental organization called Green Ukraine.

“She’s been working with several graduate classes,” said Ardith Maney, a political science professor who has been working with Hardashuk. “She’s trying to find out as much as possible about how environmental policy is made in the United States.”

Along with general ideas of conservation in Ukraine, Hardashuk will discuss ideas about public participation and the role of women in conservation, as well as the relations of Ukraine’s policies to other European countries and the rest of the world.

Maney said Hardashuk has met with the Sierra Club, the Iowa Environmental Council and several other organizations to exchange ideas and information.

The seminar is part of the International Voices series organized by the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics. Maney said the Provost’s Office is organizing seminars involving China, Russia and Ukraine, all of which have been areas of concentrated involvement for ISU faculty.

“I was in Kiev and Kharkiv in May,” Maney said. “And we know there are a lot of important environmental issues in the Ukraine, including the legacy of Chernobyl.”

Hardashuk has gained a great deal of knowledge in her short time here and offers people here an opportunity to increase their understanding as well, Maney said.

“I think there’s a lot that Americans can learn from the Ukrainians,” Maney said. “It’s a good exchange of information and technology transfer.”