Learn from AI experts: Interviews with AI Professionals

Yalchin Mammadli – Software Engineer, PRO-BIT

Yalchin has been working as a software engineer and later became involved in AI projects within his company. He shares the challenges he faced when transitioning from traditional software engineering to working in artificial intelligence. Yalchin also highlights the key resources and strategies that helped him acquire new skills. Finally, he offers valuable advice for anyone looking to get started with AI—whether they have an IT background or come from other industries.

Olga Tymofiieva – Senior Data Engineer, AFRY

Olga is a graduate of Kharkiv National University of Radioelectronics (NURE) and the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. She is a Senior Data Engineer at AFRY in Finland.  

Olga shares her career journey, which began with working as a business intelligence developer and data analyst. Later, Olga worked as a data warehouse specialist and after that she transferred to a consulting company, AFRY, where she works on projects for public and private sector customers. 

Mariia Gavriushenko – Technical Project Manager, binare.io 

Mariia’s AI journey began with her studies at the Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics and continued with research at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, where she developed a game-based algorithm to identify students’ learning gaps and recommend tailored courses. She later coordinated interdisciplinary AI projects at the university’s IT department, fostering collaboration between academia and industry. Today, she is a technical project manager at Binare, a deep tech cybersecurity company, where she oversees Horizon projects and ensures AI-driven cybersecurity solutions are effectively implemented. Mariia shares that she’s passionate about using AI to drive real-world impact and connect research with practical application. 

Arseny Kravchenko – AI Engineer, NEON

Arseny Kravchenko is an experienced AI professional whose career reflects a unique shift from digital marketing to machine learning. Despite not excelling in mathematics early on, he taught himself AI by studying at home, including watching Stanford lectures on YouTube. After years in marketing, he began developing an AI project at the intersection of AI and digital marketing, which led him to a role at Yandex as a software engineer focused on machine learning. Arseny shares that his journey proves how determination and self-learning can open doors to advanced tech careers.

Steijn van der Craats – PhD candidate in Critical AI Literacy at the Radboud University of Nijmegen 

Steijn’s interest in AI started to grow from his work in digital literacy and educational innovation. His main PhD research centres on critical AI literacy and how it can be developed among knowledge workers. Steijn is an external doctoral candidate at the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (an ARISA partner), where he works in teacher education, and takes part in projects on digital literacy and digital didactics. He collaborates with curriculum developers, teacher educators, and researchers. Earlier in his career, he worked in a research group with senior researchers and fellow PhD candidates, where he had the opportunity to be the first author of a systematic review. One of his biggest challenges has been accepting that it is impossible to keep up with such a fast-moving field and finding his own voice in a technical area where opinions are often strong.