Outside my main academic interest (astronomy & astrophysics), I am interested in Russian language, culture and bilateral relationship between the US and Russia. As a Take Five Scholar , I am focusing on the topic "Islam in Russia". I am interested in understanding how ethnicities traditionally associated with Islam (e.g. Tatars, Bashkhirs, Chechens, etc.) are portrayed in the mainstream Russian culture and how individuals of these groups self-identify as. For my Take Five capstone project, I intend to write a thesis on the topic "Tatar Nationalism" in spring 2017. I have completed two independent projects in the past and I am currently involved with the Stanford US-Russia Forum (SURF). You may find out more information about my involvement with SURF below.
Current Project:
Past Independent Study Projects: