UCA Celebrates Academic Promotions: Dr Maksim Kulikov and Dr Vitalii Zaginaev Appointed Senior Research Fellows
The University of Central Asia is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr Maksim Kulikov and Dr Vitalii Zaginaev to the position of Senior Research Fellow at the Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI), part of UCA’s Graduate School of Development.
Promoting Research Excellence
These promotions recognise Dr Kulikov and Dr Zaginaev’s outstanding contributions to interdisciplinary research on mountain environments, natural hazards, climate resilience, and sustainable development in Central Asia.
Dr Maksim Kulikov has established a strong portfolio of environmental research involving soil, vegetation, climate systems, and modern analytical methods such as remote sensing, GIS, and machine learning. His work examines the dynamics of natural resources and ecosystems, including how climate change affects rural livelihoods and mountain landscapes.
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Dr Vitalii Zaginaev brings expertise in geological and geomorphological processes, with a focus on hazards such as debris flows, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). His research integrates field observations with advanced remote sensing to improve understanding and forecasting of mountain hazards critical for community resilience.
Read BioLeadership in Regional Research
In their new roles as Senior Research Fellows, Dr Kulikov and Dr Zaginaev will continue to lead and expand research that informs policy, supports climate adaptation strategies, and enhances scientific capacity in the mountainous regions of Central Asia.
Their promotion underscores UCA’s commitment to advancing high-impact research that addresses complex environmental challenges while nurturing academic leadership within the region.
