Chair of the Board
Zhenisbek Tagay is originally from a small village in the Tashkent region, Uzbekistan. He moved to Kokshetau at the age of 8 and graduated from the local “Bilim-Innovation” high school in 2014. During his school years, he participated in and won numerous physics Olympiads at both regional and national levels. He pursued a degree in physics at Nazarbayev University, graduating with summa cum laude honors in 2018. He then completed a Ph.D. in Physics at Johns Hopkins University in 2024, with a dissertation focused on developing and utilizing high-precision optical tools in the terahertz range to study quantum phenomena in various exotic materials, including superconductors and topological materials. Zhenisbek is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Johns Hopkins University, continuing his fundamental research on material systems that could potentially serve as the basis for the realization of qubits—bits for quantum computing.
At KAPNA, he serves as Chair of the Executive Board, leading efforts to build a strong and inclusive community of Kazakhstani scholars in North America.
Community Impact Associate
Aisulu Munkina has roots in Kostanay, Kazakhstan, and was born and raised in the United States. She attended the University of Florida, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance, Magna Cum Laude, in 2023 and her Master of Science in Finance in 2024. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Finance at the University of Florida. Her research interests include empirical corporate finance, asset management, and financial markets. Her research examines labor market discrimination in the mutual fund industry and its implications for career outcomes and the efficient allocation of capital, as well as the effects of cross-border mergers and acquisitions on firms, workers, and local communities. She also studies applications of artificial intelligence and large language models in finance, focusing on how firms measure and communicate performance and how these choices impact information acquisition and diffusion in financial markets.
Aisulu serves on the KAPNA Executive Board as a Community Impact Associate, where she helps develop community-focused initiatives aimed at strengthening connections and engagement among Kazakh academics across North America. In her free time, Aisulu enjoys painting, reading, and spending time with her cat, Bala.
Community Impact Associate
Ali Almaganbet, a native of Kyzylorda, began his intellectual journey through the nationwide intellectual TV competition Leader of the XXI Century. He received the B.Eng. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Nazarbayev University in 2023. During his undergraduate studies, he worked on startup projects focused on machine learning for power system load forecasting and computer vision for industrial safety, which were funded by the KAZENERGY Association and Shell Kazakhstan. After graduation, Ali was with Baker Hughes and Alstom, where he contributed to projects in energy and industrial systems. He is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Rochester. His research interests focus on hardware and software systems for high performance computing and emerging technologies.
At KAPNA, Ali serves as a Community Impact Associate to lead initiatives and programs aimed at improving engagement within the association and expanding outreach to broader communities.
Professional Development Associate
Tamila Kuanysheva, a native of Karaganda, earned her undergraduate degree in Chemistry from Nazarbayev University in 2023. She is currently a PhD Candidate in the Chemistry department at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Her doctoral research centers on modeling quantum molecular dynamics of chemical systems using classical simulators and quantum hardware platforms.
She serves as Vice-President of the Graduate Student Organization at Marquette University, where she coordinates initiatives to support graduate students and facilitates communication between departments. She is also the founder and president of the Quantum Club, a student organization dedicated to promoting quantum computing through seminars and outreach activities.
At KAPNA, she plays a key role in organizing events and supporting the academic and professional growth of the members.
Professional Development Associate
Galiya Magazova, a native of Karaganda, completed her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering at Nazarbayev University. In 2022, she received a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, where she synthesized novel heterogeneous catalysts for shale gas conversion into light hydrocarbons. After graduation, Galiya completed an industrial postdoctoral assignment at Evonik as the first postdoc in North America. She is currently a Senior Research Engineer at Air Products, a leading industrial gas company.
Galiya is a member of the KAPNA Founding Board and, additionally, serves on the Executive Board, where she supports the organization and the interests of its members.
Social Media Associate
Madina Bekisheva is a PhD Candidate in International Affairs and an MS Student in Statistics at the University of Georgia, specializing in the quantitative analysis of economic statecraft and international conflict. She combines advanced econometric modeling with domain expertise in economic coercion, sanctions, and geopolitical risk. Madina is originally from Astana and currently lives in Athens, GA. After graduation, she plans to build a career in policy/research/quantitative analytics. In her free time, she likes playing musical instruments, singing, playing sports, running.
Madina joined KAPNA in 2026 as a Social Media Associate. In this role, she creates engaging content, manages the organization’s social media platforms, and ensures clear and consistent communication of KAPNA’s events, news, and initiatives to external audiences.
