The winner of the BUP Mobility Grant 2025
The selection committee has chosen a winner of the BUP Mobility Grant; Mariia Chernykh from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. The grant will cover travel and accommodation, up to 3,000 Euro, for the project 'Electrophysiological Biomarkers of Second Language Acquisition in Children with ASD and Receptive and Expressive Language Delays: Towards Individualized Teaching Strategies' and includes a visit to KTH, Royal lnstitute of Technology, Stockholm.
Mariia Chernykh Photo: Kostyantyn Vorobyov
The BUP Mobility Grant aims to develop and strengthen cooperation among young researchers in the Baltic Sea Region. The grant is intended to support young scholars from BUP participating universities in their research on sustainable development.
When informed about winning the Mobility Grant 2025 Mariia said:
“I am truly honored to have been selected and deeply excited to participate in this important initiative. It means a great deal to me both professionally and personally.”
Below Mariia shares more about her research and the project:
“My motivation to apply for the grant stems from my own working experience and a strong desire to contribute to the well-being and development of children. Over the years, I've had the privilege of working closely with children in various educational and clinical settings, and each encounter has profoundly shaped my commitment to creating meaningful and supportive environments that foster their growth.
Many of these children possess extraordinary potential, yet we often lack the tools - or perhaps the perspective - to fully understand how they perceive and interact with the world. I believe it is our responsibility to bridge this gap, not only through empathy and observation but through rigorous, thoughtful research and collaborative action. In this spirit, the project I propose strongly aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
By developing and implementing effective, brain-based models for individualized education, I aim to foster inclusive learning environments that cater to the diverse needs of neurodiverse children. These efforts are vital not only for the personal development and autonomy of the children themselves but for building more just and sustainable education systems that empower all learners.
I think this grant will allow me to develop and implement effective models that can open new perspectives and inform future strategies in the field. I see it as an opportunity not only to expand my knowledge and impact, but also to contribute to broader systemic improvements that benefit children more widely.”
Mariia together with Matviy, who is diagnosed with ASD and is described as "patient zero" for the research being conducted. Photo: Kostyantyn Vorobyov
The motivation of the selection committee for the winner is the following:
“This year’s candidate was selected for her strong commitment to building meaningful and impactful connections at the outset of her independent research career. Her proposal presents a novel approach to promoting inclusivity and developing personalised teaching strategies for children with an autism spectrum disorder in the Baltic Sea Region. The project will also contribute to advancing strategic priorities in social inclusion, supporting efforts to build a fairer, safer, and more sustainable future for all young citizens. Furthermore, the project supports several Sustainable Development Goals – particularly those related to health and well-being – highlighting the ongoing relevance of these global priorities.”
Mariia will carry out the project during the autumn of 2025.