I joined Nazarbayev University in 2016 after completing a postdoctorate at the Chair for the Study of Religious Pluralism and the Center for International Studies at the Université de Montréal. Prior to my hiring at Nazarbayev University, I served as a lecturer at the Université de Montréal and the University of Ottawa. I hold a PhD in Political Studies from the University of Ottawa (2014) and a graduate degree from the Université libre de Bruxelles (2008).

I specialize in the politics of Central Asia, the Soviet legacy, ethnography, religion, and gender and intimacy. My research and publications focus on the growing importance of Islam within Central Asian societies since independence. Current projects also look at gender issues in Central Asia, more specifically, on the connection between authoritarianism and the adoption policies surrounding marriage and sexuality.
I teach courses in Comparative Politics at the undergrad and graduate levels as well as topical courses on the politics of the former Union.
Apart from research activities, I also took part in multiple election observation missions with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Ukraine and travelled extensively in the former USSR.

I speak French, English, and Russian.