Building Academic Bridges in Challenging Times: Launching the Clinical Communication Club for Ukraine-based students 

Somerville Associate Launches Clinical Communication Club for Ukrainian Students

I am Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford.  My research sits at the intersection of linguistics, social science and applied healthcare, focusing on language aspects of clinical interactions. Part of NDPCHS Clinical Communication team, I work across the Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics and the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences.

With a background in sociolinguistics, my earlier work examined language variation and change in multicultural settings. Over more than a decade of teaching English and clinical communication to medical students in Ukraine, I became increasingly interested in how linguistic practices shape clinical encounters and influence the uptake of medical advice.

My research draws on Conversation Analysis and Discourse Analysis to investigate how clinicians use language to navigate sensitivities of advice-giving, maintain rapport, and support behaviour change—particularly in the context of weight management. In addition to theoretical contributions, I am involved in applied projects that translate linguistic insights into practical communication strategies for healthcare providers.

Beyond academia, I have worked as an interpreter for election observation missions with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, supporting real-time communication in high-stakes, politically sensitive contexts. This experience has deepened my understanding of language under pressure and the ethical dimensions of communication.

I work across a range of externally funded studies. I previously held a prestigious British Academy fellowship, and I am a co-investigator on a NIHR policy research programme grant.

I am committed to interdisciplinary collaboration, international academic exchange, and public engagement, with a particular focus on improving the policies and practices of healthcare communication through linguistically informed research.