International Greenwich Olympiad 2026

It was a great honour and a truly inspiring experience to serve as a judge at the International Greenwich Olympiad 2026 in the categories of Social Sciences and Artificial Intelligence.

This year's Olympiad brought together more than 1,000 participants from 53 countries, showcasing 538 innovative projects. The scale of this event was remarkable and a powerful reminder that the future of science and innovation is being shaped by curious, courageous, and purpose-driven young minds.

As a judge, I had the privilege of seeing how students combine scientific thinking, social responsibility, and the potential of artificial intelligence to address real-world challenges. Their creativity, critical thinking, and commitment to making a positive impact were genuinely inspiring. These young innovators are not simply building technologies—they are creating solutions that have the potential to improve lives.

But the International Greenwich Olympiad is much more than a competition. It is about lifelong connections—the friendships, collaborations, and international partnerships that begin here and continue far beyond the event. These relationships build a global community of people united by a shared vision of a better future.

My sincere gratitude goes to the organisers of the International Greenwich Olympiad for their trust, exceptional organisation, and dedication to creating such a meaningful international platform. I would also like to thank my fellow judge for the engaging discussions, professionalism, and our shared commitment to a fair and thoughtful evaluation process.

I leave this experience with new ideas, new connections, and an even stronger belief in the transformative power of education, science, and international collaboration. This is where the future begins.

#IGO2026 #InternationalGreenwichOlympiad #ArtificialIntelligence #SocialSciences #STEM #Education #Innovation #YoungResearchers #LifelongConnections #GlobalCollaboration

The speech at the University of Cambridge

 I had the incredible honour of being invited to the University of Cambridge twice in May.

The first time, I had the opportunity to deliver a speech at a roundtable dinner at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge. The second time, I immersed myself in contemporary research on child development and wellbeing, AI, and modern education during the Kaleidoscope Conference.

Each of these experiences left a profound impression on me and became an opportunity to rethink the role of psychology, education in a rapidly changing world. Today, it is especially important not only to implement new technologies, but also to create environments where children learn how to think, explore, ask questions, and unlock their potential.

For me, it is deeply valuable to be part of an international professional dialogue about what the future of academia and education should look like - more interdisciplinary, human-centered, and at the same time open to the opportunities AI can offer.

I was especially inspired by examples of children’s books created by fellow researchers, innovative approaches to STEM education for children, and the opportunity to explore these topics through multiple lenses - scientific, technological, and humanitarian. Thank you very much for such an inspiring speech Rupert Wegerif, Luke Wilson-Reid, Ben Garside, Nidhi Singal and for the meaningful discussion Cheryl Pilliner-Reeves ARB SFHEA, Kristina Lebedeva, Maya Karthikeyan, Emilia Sutton, Olga Kotyk, Simon Sällström, Iryna Peretiazhko.

I am sincerely grateful to Keith Dear, Holly Hedgeland for the invitation to speak, contribute, and share my experience, for the beautiful postcard commemorating this evening. A huge thank you to the conference team for creating such a positive environment that fosters broadening perspectives, collaboration, and growth. I will definitely take away valuable ideas and potential collaborations for Liverpool John Moores University TAILWIND project and Wise Parents School project "Architects of Belonging".

Special thanks to the amazing teams behind both the roundtable dinner and the conference for the impeccable organisation, thoughtful program, and the space created for truly meaningful discussions.

The collaboration with Research Hub exploring AI in Education at the University of Oxford

 I'm pleased to be collaborating with an exciting new interdisciplinary research hub exploring AI in Education. The Hub, AIEOU, is based at the Department of Education, University of Oxford and is led by Dr Sara Ratner.

My interdisciplinary research at the intersection of psychology, cognitive science, STEM education, and learning sciences examines the ethical dimensions that shape the role of AI in learning. Through my involvement in projects such as TAILWIND at Liverpool John Moores University, Wise Parents School, and the The Women in STEM Network, I investigate the psychological aspects of AI-supported learning and contribute to advancing evidence-informed, human-centred approaches to AI in education.

Looking forward to engaging with stakeholders from around the world to help shape the global research agenda. If you'd like to join the conversation regarding the design, regulation, implementation and impact of AI in Education, please reach out.

Taisiia Mukii