Professor Svetlana Turlakova, a Ukrainian industrial development economist, has been selected as part of the prestigious Scholars Under Threat initiative at Cornell Universityfor the 2026–27 academic year. Virtually hosted by Cornell’s Department of Economics, she will collaborate with renowned economist Professor Kaushik Basu on cutting-edge research.
At the same time, Prof. Turlakova is hosted as a visiting scholar atSofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”under a fellowship from the Institute of International Education – Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF), a global program supporting scholars whose academic work is under threat and enabling them to continue their research in a safe environment.
A lead researcher at the Institute of Industrial Economics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Prof. Turlakova has authored over 150 scholarly works and mentored numerous students. Her work addresses how emerging technologies, behavioral economics, and artificial intelligence shape economic transformation for businesses and governments.
Prof. Turlakova has also been appointed to the newly established Centre of Excellence in IT – UNITe at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, where she will further advance research and academic engagement in digital innovation and economic change.
This appointment reflects Sofia University’s strong commitment to academic freedom, international cooperation, and support for researchers at risk within the European Research Area.