Research Experience
ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER RESEARCH-ORIENTED WORK EXPERIENCE
Research Associate, Center for Information and Communication Studies (CICS), College for Communication and Information (CCI) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville https://cics.utk.edu/profile?smid=628
Faculty Member, Center for the Dynamics of Social Complexity (DySoC) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville http://www.dysoc.org/members.
Founding Director, Independent Institute of Socio-Economic & Political Studies (IISEPS), Minsk, Belarus, February 1992 – present. Administrative oversight of 15+ full-time and part-time researchers and analysts, technical personnel and staff, as well a nationwide network of 100 interviewers, budgets and dozens of research and public policy projects. Due to its contribution to independent social sciences and democratic public policy IISEPS faced various pressures from the state authorities, including KGB, Ministry of Justice, General Prosecutor Office, Ministry of Interior, and the Supreme Court. After shutting down by the Supreme Court in April 2005, IISEPS had to remove its legal status to Vilnius Lithuania http://www.iiseps.org/?lang=en.
Founding Chairman, Belarusian Association of Think Tanks (BTT), Minsk, Belarus, June 7, 1997 – August 3, 2006. Coordinative oversight of 18 independent research and analytical centers across the country with almost 100 researchers and analysts in sociology, economics, philosophy, psychology, and political science. BTT conducted various research projects, dozens of regional and national seminars, conferences and briefings, published quarterly “BTT Analytical Bulletin” (1998-2004), several books, and numerous publications in mass media. Due to its contribution to independent social sciences and democratic public policy BTT faced various pressures from the state authorities, and in August 2006 was shut down by the Supreme Court.
Founding Chairman, Belarusian Soros Foundation (BSF), Minsk. Coordinative oversight dozens of research, education, media and public policy programs at the national level, and the budgets (over $ 13 millions in 1993-1997). Due to its contribution to independent education, social sciences civil society development BSF faced various pressures from the state authorities, and in September 1997 was shut down by the Supreme Court.
Co-Founder, Department of Social Communication, School of Philosophy & Social Sciences, Belarusian State University (BSU), Minsk, Belarus. Due to effective cooperation with Western scholars in media and communication, and funding from the European Commission (TEMPUS) a new Program “Information & Communication” (1996) and new Department of Social Communication (1997) were established in the School of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the BSU. As a Head of this Program was responsible for introducing new Curricular, new textbooks, Professors and students international exchanges, public relations, etc.
Head, Department for Student Youth Studies, Problem Laboratory for Sociological Studies, School of Philosophy & Social Sciences, Belarusian State University, Minsk, Republic of Belarus. Administrative oversight fifteen researchers and staff, publications, budgets and research projects, 1984-1988.
Founding Head, Group for Mass Communication Research (GMCR), School of Philosophy & Economics, Belarusian State University, Minsk, Republic of Belarus. Established at the end of 70s GMCR started systematic mass communication studies in the Republic of Belarus, and finally transformed into the Department of Social Communication, which accumulated research outcomes into education program. As a Head of this Group was responsible for conducting various research projects at regional, national and international level, seminars and conferences, publications, and public relations, 1979-1996.
RESEARCH GRANTS AND AWARDS
George F. Kennan at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars (USA) Fellowship with the project “Strengthening Legitimacy by Reshuffling Social Stratification In the “Slavic triangle”, May-August 2017 (https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/oleg-manaev).
PACT/NED grant for the IISEPS project “Transforming Voice of the people into Soft Power in Belarus”, 2015-2016.
PACT/NED/MATRA (The Hague) grant for the IISEPS project “Strengthening Voice of the People in Belarus”, 2014-2015.
Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University (Japan), Fellowship with the project “Peculiarities of Post-Soviet Authoritarianism and Its Influence on the Region”, June-October, 2013.
PACT/NED grant for the IISEPS project “Strengthening Voice of the People in Belarus”, 2012-2013.
National Endowment for Democracy (Washington, DC) grant for the IISEPS project “Public opinion polling in Belarus”, 2011-2012.
PACT (Washington, DC) grants for the IISEPS project “Strengthening Voice of the People in Belarus”, 2009-2012.
Scholar Rescue Fund Award of the Institute of International Education (USA), 2007-2009
http://www.scholarrescuefund.org/about-us/featured-scholar/spring-featured-scholar-2009
European Commission (Brussels) grant for the IISEPS project ‘Strengthening Pro-European Attitudes in Belarus", 2005-2007.
International Republican Institute (Washington, DC) grants for the IISEPS project “Monitoring of Public Opinion on the Political Campaigns in Belarus”, 2001-2005, 2010-2014.
MacArthur Foundation (Chicago) grant for the IISEPS project "Strengthening Role of Independent Social Research and Experts Networks in Belarus", 2002-2004.
Fulbright Scholar (Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California) grant for the project “Mass Media and Think Tanks Alliance: Towards the Information Society in XXI Century”, September-December, 2001.
Center for International Private Enterprise (Washington, DC) grant for the IISEPS/Union of Entrepreneurs of Belarus project "Building an Information and Analytical Infrastructure for Private Enterprise in Belarus", 2000.
MacArthur Foundation (Chicago) grant for the IISEPS project "Role of Youth in the Formation of Civil Society in Belarus", 1999.
Westminster Foundation (London) grant “Building Network of Independent Research and Analytical Centers in Belarus”, 1999.
East-West Institute (New York), Freedom Support Act Fellowship with project “Strengthening Role of Think Tanks in Public Policy”, April-September, 1998.
Center for International Private Enterprise (Washington, DC) grant for the IISEPS/FIT project "Building of Independent TV News Network in Belarus”, 1998.
Eurasia Foundation (Washington, DC) grant for the IISEPS project "Overcoming of Anti-Market Stereotypes in Post-Communist Belarus", 1997.
Center for International Private Enterprise (Washington, DC) grant for the IISEPS project "Formation of Public Leaders in Belarus", 1996.
UNESCO/IAMCR grant for the IISEPS Comparative International project “Media News: Coverage and Perception”, 1995.
Open Society Institute (New York) grant for the IISEPS project “Formation of Independent Archive for Public Policy in Belarus”, 1994.
European Union TEMPUS Program (Brussels) grant for the Belarus State University project “Building a New Specialty in Information and Communication”, 1993-1997.
Center for International Private Enterprise (Washington, DC) grant for the IISEPS project “Democratization and Privatization in Mass Communication and Economics in Belarus”, 1993.
Research Institute for Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe (Munich) grant for the IISEPS project “Foreign Radio Audience in Belarus”, 1992.
UNESCO (Paris) grant for International Comparative project “Development of Alternative Media in the USSR”, 1990.
Numerous personal grants for participation in various international congresses, conferences, seminars and workshops on media and democracy, 1990 – present.
