People

We are a community of students, scholars, and staff who share a dedication to understanding the region more deeply.

Find scholars with specific areas of geographic or historical focus by using the “Location” and “Time Period” pull-downs below—these refer to the places and eras our affiliates study, not the ones in which they live.

And please remember: The views expressed by people affiliated with the Davis Center are as different as the people themselves and do not necessarily reflect institutional positions held by the center.

People

Graduate Student Associate
Ričards Umbraško is a Ph.D. student in Harvard's Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures.
Advisory Board
Alexandra Vacroux is vice president for strategic engagement at the Kyiv School of Economics and served for 15 years as the Davis Center's executive director.
Staff
Paul Vădan coordinates the Imperiia Project.
Fields
Alumni
Markus earned a master's from the Davis Center's REECA Program in 2026, focusing on anti-authoritarian resistance in Eastern Europe.
Local Affiliate
Nikolay Valkov is Member, Macedonian Scientific Institute.
Head of the Department for International relations at Georgia's Innovation and Technology Agency
Graduate Student Associate
Jake is interested in Muslim societies in the Russian Empire and early Soviet Union, with particular regional focuses on Transoxania and the Volga-Urals.
Local Affiliate
Dr. Ilya Vidrin is a choreographer, researcher, and educator situated at the nexus of performing arts, ethics, and interactive media.
Alumni
Alice Volfson earned her master's degree from the Davis Center's REECA Program in 2026.