Vasily A Tolmanov is a PhD student who specializes in Physical Geography at Michigan State University (MSU). Vasily earned his bachelor's and master’s degree in the Geographic faculty of Moscow State University. His area of interest is an assessment of the current state of permafrost and periglacial systems under various impacts; both natural and anthropogenic. Inspired by the three-year fieldwork in Alaska and north of Siberia under the auspices of the Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring Program, he is keen to continue the complex geographic studies at MSU. He began his research at MSU under the leadership of Dr. Nelson, a key specialist in permafrost and periglacial studies. His research in his Ph.D. mainly focuses on the main patterns and spatial variability of the active layer thicknesses in the different geographic and climatic conditions, the factors that influenced its formation. Together with his advisor, they develop research on the problem of the formation of cryoplanation terraces in periglacial environments.
