Olga Kononykhina is a quantitative sociologist and Data Scientist at the Hertie School of Governance. Her current work centres on national and international data-driven research projects in the fields of culture, civil society, governance and development. She has also worked at Heidelberg University, Johns Hopkins University, and the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Russia as well as in the non-profit sector, and she has consulted for various organisations in Africa and Europe, including UNESCO and the Council of Europe. She holds degrees in sociology and in applied mathematics and computer science and is completing her PhD at the Heidelberg University, Germany.