Maryam Isgandarova is originally from Azerbaijan but grew up across Brussels, The Hague, and Geneva. She graduated from Leiden University in 2023 with a BA in International Studies, specializing in Russia and Eurasia, and completed a minor in Cultural Memory of War and Conflict. Her academic work focused on the intersection of history, political economy, culture, and identity.

Maryam’s regional experience extends beyond the classroom. In 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, she volunteered with a Dutch municipality as a translator, using her proficiency in Russian to assist Ukrainian refugees in communicating their needs and integrating into Dutch society. During her time at Leiden, she also served on the Russia and Eurasia Committee, where she organized events aimed at fostering dialogue on the region’s politics, culture, and history.

Professionally, Maryam worked as a policy analyst at Qorvis Communications in Brussels, focusing on energy, sanctions compliance, and geopolitical strategy. Her responsibilities included drafting memos on EU sanctions and energy policies, writing regionally focused articles, and conceptualizing high-level events, such as a panel discussion in Brussels on Russia’s strategy in the Middle East and its implications for the EU. This role allowed her to bridge academic expertise with practical policy engagement.

At CERES, her main areas of focus include geopolitics, energy security, and memory studies. She hopes the program’s interdisciplinary approach will help her deepen her regional expertise and develop perspectives that move beyond Eurocentric frameworks. In the long term, she aspires to combine her policy experience and academic research to influence international strategies addressing complex global and regional challenges, particularly in Eurasia.