Askat Dukenvbaev, a doctoral student in Political Science, is putting his policy skills to work.  Dukenbaev was recently hired by the Soros Foundation to head up the Soros Public Administration Program in Kyrgyzstan.  Dukenbaev's role is coordinator of the program and his tasks include overseeing programs designed to build organizational and governing capacity in the country.  Dukevenbaev's work as coordinator overlaps with his dissertation research which examines the factors influencing Kyrgyzstan's transition to democracy.  Professor Andrew Barnes chairs Dukenbaev's dissertation committee.