Vitaly Zhurkin of Russia is currently Director Emeritus of the Institute of Europe at the Russian Academy of Sciences, having served as its Director since 1987. He has been involved in the Soviet Academy of Science since 1968, and has served as deputy director of the Institute of the USA and Canada since 1971. Vitaly served a prior term on the Board of Directors from 1992 through 1996, and as a faculty member for Sessions 290 "The Transformation of a Continent: Europe in Transition, " and 297 "Europe after 1992."