Photo: Bradley Gorski on a train just south of Baikal from a Trans-Siberian railroad trip from Moscow to Beijing.
(Photo credit: Irina Denischenko)

What do you miss most about the Harriman Institute?

The kollektiv, what else? There are so many more specifics, but mostly I miss the intellectual, friendly, open-door culture of the Harriman Atrium and 1219. It was always a special treat to have an excuse to go up to the 12th floor in IAB, and I hope to have more excuses soon and often!

What are your favorite reads or podcasts right now?

You mean aside from Expert Opinions? Meduza’s podcast lineup is great! I especially love Tekst Nedeli, which does a deep dive into one of their long deeply reported reads each week.

Favorite experience related to the region?

We took the Trans-Siberian railroad from Moscow to Beijing the year before the world closed down for COVID (2019) and seeing the vast geographic and cultural diversity of Russia (and Eurasia more broadly) was mind-blowing pretty much every day. Baikal was even more beautiful than everyone says it is, Yekaterinburg was our favorite city along the way, and Mongolia is a completely unexpected new world.

Check back regularly to meet other Harriman students and alumni.