Graciela Schneier-Madanes was born in Buenos Aires, a multi-cultural city in Argentina whose architecture, layout, and international flavor informed and inspired her career as an architect and geographer. She graduated from Universidad de Buenos Aires with a degree in architecture and developed her private practice and teaching in Argentina.

Dr. Schneier-Madanes trained at the Sorbonne and received her doctoral degree in geography. She was selected by the CNRS Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (National Center for Scientific Research) in Paris to conduct research at the Institut des Hautes Etudes de l'Amerique Latine-IHEAL Université Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle. A social science expert in urban geography and planning, Dr. Schneier-Madanes focuses on water and its social and urban challenges. She directs two CNRS research networks: “rés-eau-ville” (Urban Water Research Network) and Wat-Cit-Ter (International Research Network on Governance and Access to Water in the Americas).

In late 2007, after serving at the CNRS Human and Social Sciences Department as advisor for the Americas and as a member of the National Board of Evaluation of Universities (CNÉ), she moved to the University of Arizona in Tucson as director of the Unité Mixte Internationale (UMI/Joint International Unit) on Water, Environment and Public Policy, which she helped found.

Dr. Schneier-Madanes divides her time between France, the U.S and Argentina. In addition to these academic hubs, she maintains formal connections with universities and research centers in Europe, South America and China. She also works with public and private companies as an expert and collaborates with international institutions.

Dr. Schneier-Madanes enjoys hiking, swimming, dancing, taking care of friends, and visiting her daughter Marie and her family, who lives in Paris.