Murat Yessenov, PhD

Murat, a native of Zhetisay in the South Kazakhstan Region, completed his undergraduate degree in Physics at Nazarbayev University. In 2022, he received a Ph.D. in Optics and Photonics from the University of Central Florida, where he conducted pioneering research on space-time wave packets — a novel class of spatiotemporally structured optical fields — and developed the first optical setup for their generation. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University, where he leads research on spatiotemporal metasurfaces — ultrathin optical devices that simultaneously shape the properties of light in space and time. He is a prolific researcher with numerous high-impact publications and his work has been cited nearly 2,000 times by scientists across the world.

Murat serves on the KAPNA Advisory Board, where he supports the organization in building strategic partnerships with entities aligned with the Association’s mission and the interests of its members.

Adiya Rakymzhan, PhD

Adiya, a native of Karaganda, earned her undergraduate degree in Physics from Nazarbayev University in 2017. She completed her M.S. in Bioengineering at the University of Washington in 2020, where she developed optical technologies for biomedical applications. In 2025, she received her Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh, with a dissertation focused on the neuronal regulation of cerebral blood flow using advanced optical imaging and brain stimulation techniques. Adiya is the first ever Kazakh to receive the American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship, a very competitive award that provides up to 3 years of research funding. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she studies brain states in humans using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and computational modeling.

Adiya continues to serve on the KAPNA Executive Board as Community Impact Associate, where she leads initiatives that extend the association’s reach beyond its membership. Her work focuses on developing programs, partnerships, and outreach efforts that positively impact both internal and external communities.

Aniyar Izguttinov, PhD

Aniyar, a native of Pavlodar, earned his undergraduate degree in Health and Human Services from the University of Sheffield in the UK. After working in the health sector in Kazakhstan, he pursued a Master of Public Health degree at the University of Washington in Seattle. In 2025, Aniyar completed his Ph.D. in Health Policy and Management, with a focus in Health Economics, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the first Kazakh to be admitted to a PhD program at Gillings School of Global Public Health (#1 Public School of Public Health in the USA). His dissertation evaluated the impact of value-based payment models on low-value care utilization among North Carolina’s Medicaid population. Aniyar’s research uses quasi-experimental and mixed-methods approaches to evaluate healthcare interventions and policies. He is a recipient of the Bolashaq and Fulbright International Scholarships and was also a Muskie Program Fellow. Aniyar currently works as a Senior Research Scientist at Humana Healthcare Research.

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.

Zhenisbek Tagay, PhD

Zhenisbek 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.

He is still actively involved in the work of the KAPNA’s Executive Board and serves as a Professional Development Associate. He plays a key role in organizing events and supporting the academic as well as professional growth of the members.

Galiya Magazova, PhD

Galiya, 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 serves on the KAPNA Executive Board, where she supports the organization and the interests of its members.