How did you realise research might be for you?
'In Russia, where I grew up, it's common for students to attend youth research conferences, and my parents encouraged me to take part. My mother is also a researcher, and she let me read real research papers before I went. I guess I’m genetically inclined towards research – I’ve always known what it was. As a child, I noticed how free, independent and flexible her job was. That probably appealed to me early on.'

When and how did you come to Norway?
'I first came to Norway to do a Master's in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Oslo. A fellow student received a scholarship at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, and that’s how I heard about it. When applying for my own Master's scholarship, I didn’t really know how to write the proposal, so I looked up the Research Council of Norway’s old template for research applications. Maybe a bit over the top, but it worked, haha.'

'Since then, I’ve stayed on at Polhøgda. After the Master’s, I joined projects related to Russian and Chinese politics, and quite soon, I was offered the chance to do a PhD. FNI is a great place to study my topic. There’s strong expertise on the Arctic, China and Russia. And in this job, it helps a lot that I speak Russian and have working knowledge of Chinese, English and Norwegian.'

What was it like to arrive at FNI?
'As a student or early-career researcher at FNI, you become part of a research group. If you take an interest in what people here are working on, there are often opportunities to stay and continue.'

'The atmosphere at Polhøgda is informal, and the doors are always open. We all have lunch together, and since there’s no canteen, everyone brings their own food. People talk across disciplines and career stages. I’ve always felt that junior researchers are seen, listened to and respected here. That’s not something you can take for granted at other places.'

Why does your research field matter?
'China in the Arctic is important because all major players in international politics see it as important. From a Norwegian point of view, it can look like China is turning its attention northward. But China is interested in a lot of things, so the fact that the Arctic is also on the list isn’t all that surprising.'

'But our research suggests China may not be quite as interested as people think. There has been a lot of talk about the Polar Silk Road, but now that Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have met many times without mentioning the Arctic, that says something. A colleague of mine believes the Polar Silk Road is dead. We won’t be surprised if the Arctic is left out of China’s next five-year plan, which is due in a year, and that would be a strong signal. China is interested in shipping in the North and in trade with Russia, but not necessarily in sailing goods from China to Europe through the Arctic.'

What does your daily work look like?
'My work as a researcher mostly involves sitting in front of a computer. I study material from China – both academic publications and government sources. We monitor what Chinese authorities say and do in the North. Having access to Chinese research and official documents is crucial.'

'We do a lot of document analysis, but we also interview experts and key people in Chinese government agencies and research institutions.''It’s great to work on a topic that’s relevant, academically rich, and a little mythologised. I hope my research can help nuance the perception of China’s role in the Arctic, and maybe even cool the debate a bit.'

Text: Anna Valberg