MAES student Temirlan Tileubek will be starting his PhD at University of California, Davis, in the Fall
Please tell us about your background and why you chose MA in Eurasian Studies?
It all started when I was an undergraduate student and decided to declare history as my major. After years of taking different history courses, I finally decided to stick with a field of history of medicine. My area of interests is the history of science and medicine in 19th and 20th century Russia and Central Asia.
I needed to enhance my training in history and improve my academic progress before applying to PhD programs and that is why I decided to enter MA in Eurasian Studies program. This program helped me to acquire a thorough understanding of interdisciplinary themes.
Please name the top best courses in your own rating you have taken in MAES. And why?
I do not have a personal list of favorite courses, because every course I took was interesting and challenging in its own way. Apart from compulsory courses, I always tried to register for courses that were close to my research interests.
What were your research interests while doing MAES?
I always wanted to contribute an original piece of work in a field of history of Russian medicine and I am currently working on a Thesis project that deals with the concept of The New Soviet Children in the early Soviet history.
Can you tell us about NU (SSH) faculty a little, how important are they in a student’s study life?
They were important in lots of ways. Support and encouragement of my Capstone and Thesis advisers helped me to complete my projects successfully. SSH faculty members shared with me their knowledge and were always happy to help and give some advice.
Are you planning to pursue an academic career? Why do you want to earn a PhD degree?
I want to earn a PhD degree to study the history of medicine of the early modern and late modern Russian and Central Asia. I also want to teach in universities and share my knowledge with other enthusiastic students.
What were the most important skills you learned while studying at the SSH?
I have acquired number of important skills, such as, analytical skills, critical thinking, writing good argumentative papers, book and article reviews, readings a lot of articles and books in a limited amount of time)
Any words of wisdom for future SSH students?
Two years ago, I would have never thought that I would be accepted into UC Davis. It might be trivial advice, but time-management, dedication and persistence are key.
P.S.: If you want to ask questions or get some advice, I will be happy to talk to you.
