Yana Zabanova
Research Associate
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Yana Zabanova is a research associate in the Geopolitics of Energy and Industrial Transformation Research Group, where she focuses on the geopolitics and geoeconomics of decarbonization, EU energy and climate policy, and clean hydrogen development in Europe and globally. She is also a PhD candidate at the University of Groningen, where she investigates how Eurasian hydrocarbon- rich states like Russia and Kazakhstan react and respond to the challenges of the global energy transformation. Prior to joining RIFS in August 2021, Yana Zabanova was a researcher and subsequently visiting fellow at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) in Berlin, a fellow in the Governance in Emerging Economies research group (a joint initiative of the University of Groningen and PFH Göttingen funded by the Volkswagen Foundation), and an analyst at the Berlin-based European Stability Initiative (ESI) think tank. Yana holds an MA in International Relations and European Studies from Central European University in Budapest and a Master's degree in Public Policy from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.
Groups
Blog Posts
- 2021 - present: Research Associate at RIFS (formerly known as IASS)
- 2019 - present: PhD candidate at the University of Groningen (RUG), Netherlands
- 2018 - 2021: Visiting Fellow at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Global Issues Research Group and Eastern Europe and Eurasia Research Group
- 2018 - 2021: Research Fellow in the Governance in Emerging Economies Research Group, a joint project of the University of Groningen and the University of Applied Sciences Göttingen funded by the Volkswagen Foundation
- 2017 - 2021: Independent consultant with a focus on clean energy development in post-Soviet Eurasia
- 2014 - 2016: Research associate at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik in an EU FP7 project, ISSICEU (Intra-and Inter-Societal Sources of Instability in the Caucasus and EU Opportunities to Respond)
- 2009 - 2014: Analyst, European Stability Initiative (Berlin)
- 2007 - 2009: Master in Public Policy, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin
- 2008: Intern, German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin)
- 2006 - 2007: MA in International Relations and European Studies (with distinction), Central European University, Budapest
- 2005 - 2006: Academy Year in European intellectual history, European College of Liberal Arts (today: Bard College Berlin)
- 2005: Research Assistant in a EU TACIS project "Credit Cooperatives - Russian Federation", Ulan-Ude, Russia
- 2002 - 2003: Exchange student, Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, USA
- 1999 - 2005: "Diploma" in Economics and Public Administration (with distinction), Buryat State University, Ulan-Ude, Russia
- Geopolitics and geoeconomics of decarbonization
- EU climate and energy policy
- Clean hydrogen development in Europe and globally
- Clean energy development in post-Soviet Eurasia (Russia, Central Asia, South Caucasus)
- Green industrial policy
Publications at the RIFS
Publications prior to joining the RIFS
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Yana Zabanova and Kirsten Westphal, "Russia in the Global Hydrogen Race: Advancing German-Russian Hydrogen Cooperation in a Strained Political Climate", SWP Comment 2021/C 34, 19.05.2021, doi:10.18449/2021C34
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Yana Zabanova, "Zentralasien und die globale Energiewende", Religion und Gesellschaft in Ost und West (RGOW), Nr. 1, 2021.
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Schiek, Sebastian, Yana Zabanova, Bettina Rudloff. "EU und Zentralasien: Gemeinsam für mehr Nachhaltigkeit. Konkrete Projekte zu Energie, Landwirtschaft, Stadtentwicklung und Start-ups", SWP-Aktuell 2020/A 04, 27.01.2020, doi:10.18449/2020A04.
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Yana Zabanova, "Armenia: Pursuing Export-Led Industrial Growth", Caucasus Analytical Digest, no. 110, 17 May 2019, DOI: 10.3929/ethz-b-000346798
*Andrea Weiss and Yana Zabanova, "The South Caucasus and Iran in the Post-Sanctions Era: Pursuing Greater Interconnectedness amidst Continuing Constraints and Scaled-down Expectations", SWP Comment 2017/C 24, 10.07.2017.
- "Advocacy Coalitions for Renewable Energy in Russia and Kazakhstan: The Emerging Role of Geopolitics", presentation as part of the ECPR Online Seminar Series on Energy Politics, Policy, and Governance, March 2025, online
- Guest Lecture: "EU Hydrogen Policy: Domestic Developments and External Dimensions," CIFE Master's program, Berlin, March 2024
- EPICO Demo Day Presentation: EU-Kazakhstan Green Hydrogen Partnership, Berlin, November 2023
- "A new geopolitics of hydrogen?" presentation at the pv magazine webinar "Greening hydrogen, the promise beyond the hype", online, May 2023
- Volkswagen Foundation PhD Fellowship (2018-2021)
- Hertie Foundation Full MPP Fellowship (2007-2009)
- CEU Outstanding Academic Achievement Award (2007)
- Central European University MA Scholarship (2006-2007)
- US Government Programs Alumni Merit Scholarship (2003)
- Freedom Support Act Global Undergraduate Program Fellowship, USA (2002-2003)
- Freedom Support Act Future Leaders Exchange Program Scholarship, USA (1998-1999)