Viktor Lagutov

Dr. Viktor Lagutov leads the Environmental Systems Laboratory at the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, Central European University (CEU). He holds an MSc in Applied Mathematics from South Russia State Technical University and both an MSc and PhD in Environmental Sciences and Policy from CEU. His work bridges the gap between cutting-edge research and impactful real-world applications in environmental management and public policy.

Dr. Lagutov’s research focuses on the applications of digital technologies and spatial analysis in CEU's core research domains, with particular emphasis on river basins, water security, and disaster management. Since joining CEU in 1996, he has taught courses on environmental modeling, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), disaster risk reduction, and Earth observations.

Beyond academia, Dr. Lagutov has made significant contributions to international environmental initiatives through his collaborations with the United Nations and other global organizations. Among various UN entities, he has worked most closely with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). As a Global Environment Facility (GEF) project designer for FAO, he was instrumental in developing the Central Asia Water and Land Nexus (CAWLN) project, a transformative initiative aimed at restoring ecosystems, improving resource management, and building climate resilience in the region.

Dr. Lagutov has also organized global capacity-building programs and professional training workshops under UN auspices. Notably, through the ISEPEI initiative, he has been advancing the application of geospatial technologies for environmental management among UN staff and public sector professionals since 2011. His leadership has been pivotal in fostering partnerships between CEU and global ICT stakeholders such as Esri, Google, NASA, Planet, and others, promoting the use of geospatial applications for sustainable development.

In addition to his research and teaching, Dr. Lagutov has served as a board member in various international societies, including the Freshwater Specialist Group of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) and the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS).

Office Hours: 

By appointment via e-mail.

Working Experience:

• Director, OSUN's GeoHub Project, (2020-present)
• Senior Expert, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• Digital Agriculture Specialist, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• Director, “In Service ICT Training for Environmental Professionals” (ISEPEI) Project, 2014-present
• Facilitator, Water Security Global Iniative, Eye On Earth Aliance (2015-2016)
• Chair, Environmental Education Gloval Initiative, Eye On Earth Aliance (2014-2016)
• Instructor, Faculty Development Program on modernization of Higher Education System in Russia (2011-2015)
• Consultant, Eye on Earth Initiative, UNEP and Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI) (2011-2015)
• Project Manager, FP7 Project ENVIROGRIDS: Building Capacity for a Black Sea Catchment Observation and Assessment System. (2011-2014)
• Founder, Azov Center for Watershed cooperation, Russia (2011 - present)
• Head, Environmental Systems Modeling and Mapping Laboratory, CEU, Hungary (2008-present)
• Founder and Co-Director, Ural River Basin Project, Russia (2006-present)
• Research fellow, International Insitute for Applied Systems Analysis, Luxenburg, Austria (2002-2003)
• Lecturer, Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management, CEU (2000-present)
• Manager, Environmental Systems Laboratory (2000-2007)
• Research fellow, Complex Adaptive Systems Laboratory, CEU (1997-1999)
• Mathematician, programmer, Space Agency "Orbita", Russia (1992-1996)
• Officer, Russian environmental NGO "Green Don"(1992-1996)