Natalia Riabkina

My name is Natalia Riabkina and I am a recent graduate of V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, where I earned my bachelor's in Culturology with honors (GPA 96/100). My studies were completed during the ongoing war in Ukraine, including a period under occupation - an experience that profoundly shaped my academic focus on memory, cultural identity, and the preservation of intangible heritage in times of crisis. I presented my research at national and international conferences and contributed to multiple interdisciplinary projects, including a digital humanities internship at the University of Montreal and the “Peace Walk” program hosted by Yale University’s International Leadership Center. As Head of the Media Department in my university’s Student Council, I led cultural and educational initiatives, built a team of student creatives, and supported community resilience through storytelling and design. I also participated in fellowships supported by the Ukrainian House where I had a chance to organizeand coordinate an exhibition, and continue to explore the intersections of technology, sound, and historical imagination, particularly through my thesis research on cymatics, medieval manuscripts, and the philosophical implications of sound in religious and artistic traditions. Outside of her academic work, I am a pianist and lifelong crocheter who finds in music and craft both personal grounding and aesthetic inspiration. I am currently seeking graduate-level opportunities in cultural heritage, information studies, or digital humanities, with a long-term goal of contributing to research that safeguards artistic legacy and collective memory under conditions of political instability.