Dr. Anna Tsurkan is a Founder and a Project Coordinator of the Canada-Russia Research Initiative (CRRI). This initiative is an independent, non-partisan, grassroots organization and research platform dedicated to fostering a greater understanding of the existing challenges in the relations between the two countries and accumulating meaningful studies to build a road for mutual cooperation. Anna created a CRRI concept and logo; designed and filled with content its website; manage website contributors; network to increase its expert database; plan and organize events.

Dr. Anna Tsurkan grew up in Russia, where she obtained all her degrees, including a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Institute of the U.S.A. and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 2013-2018, Anna worked for the above-mentioned think tank in a capacity of a research fellow. In 2016-2019, she held an associate fellowship at the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society, UVic. Her main areas of research include U.S.-Russia and Canada-Russia relations, Islamic radicalism and counterterrorism, disinformation and propaganda. Anna has written numerous papers and has given many presentations on a broad range of security and political subjects linked to Russian, U.S. and Canadian foreign policy.