What is your academic background, and what is your primary area of research?
“I am a sociocultural anthropologist working across several research areas, including linguistic anthropology, communicative interaction, visual anthropology, and medical anthropology. Depending on the research project, the primary focus varies. In addition to studying digital technology, I also have experience designing it, which underpins my interest in applying data science to the study of news flow and propaganda.”

What is your AIAS-SHAPE research project about?
“My current AIAS-SHAPE research focuses on the spread of censorship in the Russian news media from 2012 to 2024. I compare the agendas presented by different news outlets to examine how they differ in mentioning certain individuals who are unevenly represented across the media landscape. This approach - measuring the agenda in terms of the frequency and distribution of individuals mentioned - has the potential to reveal patterns that illuminate the spread of governmental control over the media.”

What impact do you expect your project to have on society or your field of research?
“My project began with a quantitative study of mentions, progressed to a qualitative analysis of references and key phrases, and will eventually evolve into a study of the narratives promoted by different sources. This approach could be used to equip readers with tools to recognize manipulative discourses and propagandistic messages. The societal impact of this method of AI-assisted news reading extends beyond Russian-speaking audiences.”