TALENT AMBASSADOR – KSENIA ZUEVA

Hi, my name is Ksenia Zueva. I am a biologist and an entrepreneur, and I’ve been living in Turku for 10 years.

Originally I came for 5 month only, as an exchange student from St. Petersburg, Russia. After getting a summer job I stayed for another three month, and then for another six, and then for another 4 years. Now, 10 years later, I still find myself here!

The best things are often not planned, and it was largely serendipity that led me to Turku a first few times. However, it was the charm of the city and the opportunities I found here that made me want to stay for good.

Today, I am a doctoral graduate in evolutionary biology and a co-founder of ExtraVerd, a local environmentally-oriented start-up. Together with the friends I met here, we tackle existing challenges such as agricultural greenhouse emission and food wastage, contributing our share to the global aim of a sustainable economy. Coincidentally, Turku city has set up a goal to reach carbon-neutrality by 2029, and so it is an ideal workplace for us!

But of course, there is more to life than work, and I am thrilled that even after ten years Turku surprises me with new fun things to do and to see. Though surely, the top of my ‘the most favourite activities’ list rightfully belongs to hiking with my dog and doing martial arts.”

KSENIA’S PROFILES

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