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USTA: From Mentorship to Publication 2026
As of 2026, I am participating in the USTA Mentorship Program, an academic support platform—and a valuable stepping stone—for emerging early-career scientists from Central Asia. This highly selective program brings together undergraduate students, master’s students, and Ph.D. candidates, offering rigorous reading and writing marathons, as well as in-depth discussions of scholarly work guided by senior academics.
The primary goal of the program is to support participants in developing high-quality research and successfully publishing their work. Within this mentorship framework, my project focuses on the ethnographic dimensions of fieldwork related to development aid and eco-tourism impact assessment. I hope to complete and submit this study for publication by the end of the year.
2026
New Cultural Geography
New Cultural Geography
It was in my home institution, where one of the famous science conferences in Germany, “Neue Kulturgeographie-2025,” with a special focus on “Spekulative Geographien” took place. I happened to be there coincidentally. Looking through the program, two topics fueled my interest. They were either conducted in Central Asia or related to regional studies. First, the aspiration of students from Kyrgyzstan regarding the geopolitics of education by Barbara, and the human-environmental issues (Caspian seals) in Western Kazakhstan by Daria. Some of these talks were quite intriguing on some of the environmental issues in Kazakhstan. Recently, my colleague and I have joked about attending Stihia, one of these open-air disco and techno concerts aimed at raising awareness of environmental issues in Kazakhstan. The notion of Stihia literally refers to the Anthropocene. Looking at the Google Images of Western Kazakhstan, one is reminded of landscapes from Mad Max.
05.10.2025
My Poster at IMC-2025
My Poster at IMC-2025
As an early career student, I presented my initial research findings on the active role of development organizations, environmental policy, and aid projects in Kyrgyzstan during the poster session at the International Mountain Conference 2025 – Innsbruck, Austria. I found the conference highly engaging, although the large number of participants meant that presentations were often very brief. Among the many talks, I particularly appreciated the ethnographic film Beyond the Melting (2023). While melting glaciers were the main theme, I felt that Central Asian scholars could have been given a more prominent thematic focus. Nevertheless, several interesting talks were delivered by the Central Asian Institute for Applied Geoscience based in Bishkek. It was also interesting to learn about the Global energy and Water Exchange Program (GEWEX) and meet new people.
20.09.2025
A Talk on Development Aid: Ilbirs Foundation
A Talk on Development Aid: Ilbirs Foundation
Towards the end of my fieldwork in Chon-Kemin, I spent a significant amount of time conducting expert interviews in Bishkek. Although I was able to secure only a few interviews, I was warmly welcomed and invited to present my research findings at the office of the Ilbirs Foundation in Bishkek. When I did my fieldwork, conservation organizations such as NABU, Snow Leopard Foundation, Snow Leopard Trust, and Ilbirs Foundation have been actively support local communities by assisting Chon-Kemin State Park rangers with technical assistance such as camera traps, planting spruce tree seedling, and increasing environmental education among children. It was particularly interesting to observe the emerging professionalization of NGOs, supported by donors and international conservation organizations, which appear to be addressing gaps left by the institutional shortcomings of the former Soviet Academy of Sciences.
25.07.2025
AUCA: A Nest for Future Scientists
AUCA: A Nest for Future Scientists
I was invited by the Liberal Arts Department and A New Generation Academy to give a talk on career development for students at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) in Bishkek. AUCA, in collaboration with Bard College in New York and others, is one of the leading international universities in Central Asia, offering a world-class liberal arts education.
As a former university president once noted, students are the driving force behind the institution—a statement that strongly resonates with my experience. I enjoyed engaging with students, exploring their interests, and learning about their aspirations. The discussion highlighted AUCA as a place of great potential, nurturing future professionals and scientists across fields such as business administration, political science, and psychology. It was a pleasure to support and interact with AUCA students.
16.09.2024
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