My name is Mariia Olkhova, and I'm an Associate Professor at the O. M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv, where I study urban mobility for sustainable city development. I am also a happy mother of three sons.
War turbulence
The shocking full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 dramatically changed my family's life, as it did for everyone in Ukraine. At the beginning of that year, I was working on a proposal for the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Call. However, everything changed on February 24 when the invasion began. I felt overwhelmed and gave up on my initial plans. Our top priority became ensuring our safety. We moved to a safer place in the suburbs of Kharkiv, helping Ukrainian defenders with minor immediate needs and hoping for a quick end to the dreadful Russian invasion. After all, I managed to keep my focus and completed the Jean Monnet call application, submitting it on the last day of February 2022 under the light masking proclaimed in the country.
When it became clear that a quick end was not going to happen, we relocated to Ivano-Frankivsk and took refuge at the campus of the Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas. Through Science for Ukraine, I applied for a role at PIT-Lukasiewicz in Poznan, and I was fortunate to receive it. I am sincerely grateful for the support my family met in the compassionate and welcoming Poland, especially from Przemyslaw Zawodny and Malgorzata Kirchner. Despite our persistent efforts and the extensive assistance from our colleagues, finding rental accommodation for a family from Ukraine with three young children proved challenging. Taking the chance to work remotely, we relocated to the United Kingdom, a beautiful country rich in history and filled with supportive people. This brief overview reflects my journey of forced migration, and with more pleasure, I would like to share my achievements since the war began.
Career during the ongoing war: Poland and the United Kingdom
During my time in Poznan, I contributed to the educational content within the EiT RIS Hub Poland, led by Marta Cudzilo. We applied for and successfully received a new grant in 2023 for the EiT Urban Mobility project – the first such grant for Ukraine and a significant contribution to international development at my home University.
My application for the Jean Monnet Call was successful, which I learned staying in the UK during the summer of 2022. Since then, I have coordinated the Jean Monnet Module “Sustainable urban transport policy in Europe” with a professional team including Dr Dmytro Roslavtsev, Prof Antonio Comi, and Prof Andrii Galkin.
While I am in the UK, I remain engaged in research. In response to the Russian invasion, Loughborough University initiated long-term cooperation with Beketov University in 2022, standing in full solidarity with Ukraine within the UK-UA Twinning initiative. Here, I met Dr Asya Natapov, an expert in Urban Planning and Design, who specialises in user behaviour, spatial cognition, and route planning and who is also an amazing person. We first crossed paths at the Ukraine Response Group of Loughborough University, where Prof Malcolm Cook, Prof Tarek Hassan and Dr Natapov played a crucial role in supporting Ukrainian academics. Through our regular weekly meetings, we worked on developing future proposals. Our efforts were rewarded by receiving a grant for implementing the UK-UA Twinning Initiative “Digital information, modelling and manufacturing for postwar reconstruction of the built environment”, coordinated by Prof Tarek Hassan. Beyond that, I received a scholarship from the Institute of Advanced Studies at Loughborough University in 2022 and was awarded a two-year Research Fellow position at the School of Architecture, Building, and Civil Engineering in 2023, funded by the Council for At-Risk Academics.
Motivational achievements for further development
Thanks to active and successful international collaboration, I with my colleagues, have made significant contributions to the education in Ukraine in areas of sustainable urban mobility and city logistics by (1) securing Ukraine’s first EiT Urban Mobility grant, which resulted in the organisation of two summer schools and one online training for 144 participants from 12 Ukrainian universities (2) supporting educational initiatives within the Jean Monnet Module that reached over 180 students and lecturers across multiple universities, introduced new urban transport policy disciplines for bachelors and masters and advanced training for lecturers.
I am also delighted with my research outcomes. We studied the challenges and opportunities of micromobility in Ukraine, conducted a travel survey with 752 responses, and interviewed 34 stakeholders in the country. I, with like-minded colleagues, compiled an analytical report on micromobility development in Ukraine for policymakers and have written research papers, which should be published soon. Over the past three years, I have participated in international conferences in Vienna, Huddersfield, and Rotterdam, where I presented my research findings. During my time abroad, I have met new collaborative colleagues from different countries, including Ukraine, as well as awesome friends.
The very dreadful and challenging situations we face in our lives can serve as a starting point for truly valuable and unexpected outcomes. Embracing radical changes can be tough; there have been times when it was quite tough. Yet, upon reflection, I find that I have a lot to share with you. I am incredibly grateful to my family for their love and support, which empowers me to move forward confidently and determinedly. I am now consistently seeking opportunities for further professional development. I find myself inspired, eager to share my experience and implement fruitful initiatives that promote sustainable and resilient future for all of us.
Once, my beloved husband said to me, "Everything is possible", and all my experiences prove this statement. To conclude, never stop believing and hold onto your faith in goodness, no matter what.