I use digital tools to support academic research and teaching—from AI-assisted workflows and qualitative data analysis to clear visual communication. My approach is pragmatic: I focus on tools that save time, improve consistency (e.g., translation and synthesis), and help communicate complex ideas through structured text, visuals, and teaching materials.
I use AI as a productivity and quality tool in research and teaching. It helps me work faster with large volumes of text, improve English drafting and proofreading, and visualize my ideas—while I retain full responsibility for the analytical framing, key questions, and final conclusions.
What AI is typically better at (in my workflow)
Fast background reference and orientation across a very wide range of topics
Working with large amounts of information quickly (search and preliminary summarization)
Quick solutions to routine problems with well-documented, standard answers
Translation into English, editing, and proofreading (consistency and readability).
Generating draft visuals (incl. AI image generation) for idea exploration and teaching materials
Where I usually (and so far) do better than AI
Generating original ideas and research angles
Asking non-trivial, conceptually important questions and refining problem statements
Deeper analysis of complex texts
Separating what matters from what is secondary; “sanity checks” and contextual judgment
More careful and targeted information search when stakes are high
A much stronger sense of responsibility toward readers and the real-world implications of my texts
Stronger Russian-language writing and translation nuance
What we do best together
Work faster without losing quality: AI speeds up routine steps, while I steer the agenda and decisions.
Produce cleaner texts through iterative drafting, editing, and final human control.
Produce denser texts with fewer gaps by (i) posing a wider set of non-trivial questions and (ii) quickly filling the resulting gaps with relevant facts and literature—then validating what matters
Turn ideas into visuals: I generate concepts; AI helps prototype images/diagrams and alternatives
Build small web assets (widgets, simple scripts, page elements) to support academic communication
Improve teaching materials: quicker examples, exercises, and clearer explanations, with my pedagogical framing
Responsible use & transparency
I follow standard academic integrity principles in AI-assisted work. I am transparent about where AI was used and for what purpose. In scholarly writing and course materials, AI does not generate original ideas that I present as my own; it supports technical and editorial tasks (language, structure, clarity, drafts of visuals).
When a fast turnaround is required and agreed with a client (e.g., op-eds), AI may play a larger role, but I still control the analytical scope, key claims, and conclusions, and I verify factual statements and references.
Qualitative Data Analysis (software)
I use qualitative data analysis tools mainly for two purposes: (1) to build a structured, searchable research notebook from large bodies of text (systematic excerpting, multi-level coding, and fast retrieval), and (2) to run qualitative content analysis of homogeneous text corpora—tracking keywords and phrases, identifying unexpectedly salient terms, and then interpreting them in context. My primary tool is MAXQDA.
Structured reading and research notes
Multi-level coding to organize large text corpora into a clear thematic structure
A systematic way to capture excerpts and emerging ideas, reducing the risk that valuable evidence or insights are lost
Fast retrieval: coded fragments can be located and reassembled quickly when writing
Qualitative content analysis
Computer-assisted content analysis of homogeneous and representative text collections (by keywords and phrases)
Counting occurrences and flagging unexpectedly salient terms in context
Iterative refinement: removing low-value units of analysis and focusing on meaningful patterns and their usage contexts
Visual communication & presentations
I am not a professional designer, but I place strong emphasis on visualizing ideas in research and teaching. Well-designed visuals often communicate faster and more clearly than text—especially in education—helping audiences grasp structure, comparisons, and causal links at a glance. I use this approach in in-person teaching, in conference presentations, and when producing educational and research-informed video materials for students and broader audiences.
What I focus on
Computer-assisted content analysis of homogeneous and representative text collections (by keywords and phrases)
Counting occurrences and flagging unexpectedly salient terms in context
Iterative refinement: removing low-value units of analysis and focusing on meaningful patterns and their usage contexts
Tools & advanced presentation skills
PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote, Visme
Confident use of animation and transitions, layering, grouping, alignment, and visual rhythm
In recent years, I have been making a deliberate effort to develop skills in building academic websites and creating video-based teaching materials. The goal is to prepare and share educational content, research information, and occasional research-informed public commentary in a more accessible format.
I am learning how to create and maintain websites for academic communication—this site is an example of that ongoing work. I use web formats to organize and present information clearly and to make materials easier to update and navigate.
I am also learning the production and basic editing of video materials for teaching and outreach. Most educational and science-popular content is produced by recording slide-based presentations and adding my spoken commentary, followed by light editing to improve clarity and pacing.