The BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience and Reconstruction proudly introduces its 2026 cohort – an exceptional group of Ukrainian scholars, researchers, and professionals whose work advances resilience, innovation, and long-term recovery across Ukraine. This year the selection for the program was especially competitive with a total of 187 applicants from 81 unique universities from 23 regions of Ukraine for ten available spots (5,6% acceptance rate).
The finalists represent a wide range of disciplines, from urban planning, IT, and engineering to mental health, medicine, environmental science, and agricultural technology. What unites them is a shared commitment to transforming knowledge into practical solutions for Ukraine’s future – and to building lasting partnerships with U.S. academic institutions.
Photo: 2026 Summer cohort are completing Pre-departure Orientation in Kyiv, Ukraine
Oleksandr Hrytsyna
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Water Supply, Water Disposal and Drilling
Ukrainian university: National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (Rivne)
Host University: Florida State University
Program field: Environmental Policy and Management
Focus Area: Energy Efficiency and Water-Based Infrastructure Engineering
Dr. Oleksandr Hrytsyna is an environmental and energy engineer specializing in sustainable water infrastructure, wastewater-based energy recovery, and distributed thermal energy systems for urban decarbonization.
During his fellowship, he aims to advance water-based thermal energy solutions and develop scalable, interdisciplinary approaches to strengthen the resilience of municipal and university infrastructure in Ukraine.
Scientific database profiles:
Dmytro Diadin
Position: Head of Department of Urban Environmental Engineering, Associate Professor
Ukrainian university: O. M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv
Host University: Florida State University
Program field: Environmental Policy and Management
Focus Area: Urban Hydrogeochemistry and Environmental Isotope Hydrology
Dr. Dmytro Diadin is an environmental scientist whose work focuses on urban water resilience and drinking water safety in wartime conditions. His research explores how natural springs and groundwater systems can support Ukrainian cities when centralized infrastructure is under strain.
During the fellowship, he plans to deepen his expertise in hydrogeochemistry and isotope hydrology while advancing research that can directly inform safer and more resilient urban water systems in Ukraine.
Scientific database profiles:
Ruslana Stavetska
Position: Head of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Selection Department
Ukrainian university: Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University
Host university: University of Arkansas
Program field: Agricultural Technology
Focus Area: Sustainable Livestock Biology and Agro-Environmental Management
Dr. Ruslana Stavetska is a leading agricultural scholar working on climate-smart livestock systems and modern agricultural education. Her work addresses the urgent need to strengthen Ukraine’s food systems and environmental resilience in the face of war and climate change.
Through the program, she hopes to expand her expertise in sustainable livestock science and bring new approaches in emissions monitoring, adaptive breeding, and agricultural education back to Ukraine.
Scientific database profiles:
Hanna Demydenko
Position: Professor, Department of Therapy 1, Medical Diagnostics, Transfusiology, and Haematology; Internal Medicine Doctor
Ukrainian University: Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University
Host university: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Program Field: Healthcare and medicine at the time of war
Focus Area: Veteran Health, Trauma-Related Comorbidities, and Rehabilitation
Dr. Hanna Demydenko combines clinical practice, medical teaching, and rehabilitation work in support of war-affected patients, including veterans and civilians. Her work centers on the long-term health consequences of trauma, especially in internal medicine and rehabilitation settings.
Her fellowship will help strengthen her expertise in interdisciplinary veteran care and rehabilitation, with the goal of improving both medical education and patient care in Ukraine.
Scientific database profiles:
Oleksii Duniev
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Machines
Ukrainian university: National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”
Host university: University at Buffalo
Program Field: Engineering
Focus Area: Advanced Electrical Machine Design and Energy Conversion
Dr. Oleksii Duniev is an electromechanical engineer specializing in advanced electrical machine design, renewable energy systems, and engineering education. His research contributes to next-generation energy solutions with practical applications for both industry and sustainability.
Through the BridgeUSA UPRR Program, he aims to strengthen collaboration in renewable energy technologies and rare-earth-free machine design, while also bringing innovative engineering teaching practices back to Ukraine.
Scientific database profiles:
Azize Asanova
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Medical Psychology, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy
Ukrainian university: Bogomolets National Medical University
Host university: University of Notre Dame
Program Field: Mental Health
Focus Area: Trauma-Informed Mental Health Care
Dr. Azize Asanova is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist whose work focuses on trauma, chronic pain, psychosomatic medicine, and evidence-based mental health care. Her clinical and academic practice is especially relevant in supporting servicemembers, veterans, and civilians affected by war.
Her fellowship will support the development of more integrated, trauma-informed mental health and pain care models, while also contributing to the modernization of psychiatric education in Ukraine.
Scientific database profiles:
Sergiy Kostrikov
Position: Professor
Ukrainian university: V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
Host university: Miami University Ohio
Program Field: Urban Planning
Focus Area: Sustainable Urban Planning, Urban Recovery and Rehabilitation
Dr. Sergiy Kostrikov is an urban studies scholar whose work focuses on sustainable urban planning, geographical information systems (GIS), urban remote sensing, and the use of advanced spatial technologies for city analysis and recovery. His research is especially relevant to Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, with particular emphasis on resilient urban redevelopment and evidence-based planning.
Through his fellowship, he aims to deepen his expertise in urban recovery and rehabilitation, strengthen interdisciplinary approaches to post-war city planning, and advance international collaboration in innovative urban research and practice.
Scientific database profiles:
Mariia Galaburda
Position: Associate Professor, PhD in Biology, Human and Animal Physiology
Ukrainian university: National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine
Host university: University of Arkansas
Program Field: Agricultural Technology
Focus Area: Food Safety and Quality, Food Hygiene, Veterinary Health
Dr. Mariia Galaburda is a biologist and educator whose work focuses on food safety, food hygiene, and veterinary health. Her research and teaching are especially relevant to strengthening the resilience of Ukraine’s agricultural and food systems in the context of post-war recovery.
Through her fellowship, she aims to advance innovative approaches to veterinary and food safety education, including practice-oriented training and microcredential opportunities, while also building international academic partnerships and research collaboration.
Selected publications / resources:
Sergiy Utevsky
Position: Professor, Doctor of Science in Biology
Ukrainian university: V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
Host university: Oregon State University
Program Field: Environmental Policy and Management
Focus Area: Biodiversity Conservation amid Climate Change and War Impacts
Dr. Sergiy Utevsky is a molecular ecologist and biodiversity researcher whose work focuses on aquatic ecosystems, species monitoring, and conservation under conditions of climate change and war-related environmental disruption.
His fellowship will support the development of biodiversity assessment approaches for eastern Ukraine and strengthen Ukraine’s contribution to international ecological research. He also aims to expand collaboration with global research institutions and advance strategies for long-term biodiversity monitoring and conservation.
Selected publications:
Oleksandr Bondarenko
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Devices and Systems; PhD in Power Electronic Converters
Ukrainian university: Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute
Host university: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Program Field: Engineering
Focus Area: Power Electronics, Power Converters for Medical Applications
Dr. Oleksandr Bondarenko is an engineer and educator specializing in power electronics, energy conversion systems, and medical-oriented electrical technologies. His work contributes to advancing energy-efficient and resilient technical solutions that are highly relevant to Ukraine’s recovery and modernization.
Through his fellowship, he aims to strengthen engineering education, develop updated course materials, and expand international academic collaboration in research and innovation.
Selected publications / innovation outputs: