Olena Lennon, Ph.D.

Olena Lennon Headshot
Practitioner In Residence

National Security Department
Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences
Education

Ph.D. Educational Leadership & Higher Education with concentrations in Political Science and Qualitative & Quantitative Psychometric Measures, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

M.A. Educational Administration, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

M.A. Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), Horlivka Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages

B.A. English, Horlivka Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages

About Dr. Olena Lennon

Olena Lennon, Ph.D., is a Practitioner In Residence of National Security at the University of New Haven, where she teaches such courses as the U.S. Foreign and Defense Policy, International Relations, and Comparative Politics. An Eastern Ukraine native, she also serves as a co-editor of an online scholarly forum "Eyes on Donbas: Politics, Places, and People" at the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. Formerly a Fulbright scholar and most recently a Title VIII Scholar at Woodrow Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute in Washington, D.C., Olena has dedicated her research to domestic and international politics of Ukraine, as well as Eurasian geopolitics and security writ large.

Scholarships & Awards
  • Fulbright Scholar, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2004-2007
  • International Scholar of the Year, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008
  • Excellence in Teaching Award of the Year, Part-Time Faculty, 2019
  • Title VIII Scholar, Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, May-June 2019
Selected Publications

"Russia's War Against Ukraine: A Wake-Up Call for the West," co-sponsored by Mystic & Noank Library, Otis Library & Museum, Inc, Groton Public Library, Public Library of New London, CT, and Waterford Public Library; March 24, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XhvDYSkCLo

Lennon, Olena (March 21, 2022), "Why Putin Is Scaling Down His Political Aims while Scaling Up the Fight," Focus Ukraine, https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/why-putin-scaling-down-his-political-aims-while-scaling-fight

Lennon, O., (January 12, 2022), "The Time Is Right for Ukraine to Revisit the Lessons of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War," PONARS Eurasia, https://www.ponarseurasia.org/the-time-is-right-for-ukraine-to-revisit-the-lessons-of-the-second-nagorno-karabakh-war

Lennon, O., (January 19, 2021), "Ukraine’s Decentralization will Empower the Center, but Not in Ways You Think," Focus Ukraine, https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/ukraines-decentralization-will-empower-center-not-ways-you-think

Lennon, O., Sotnyk, O. (June 2020), "Ukraine's Strategic Choices vis-à-vis Occupied Donbas: Striking a Balance between the Possible and the Desirable," Krytyka, Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, https://krytyka.com/en/articles/ukraines-strategic-choices-vis-vis-occupied

Lennon, O. Book Review of Paul J. D'Anieri's "Ukraine and Russia: From Civilized Divorce to Uncivil War" Harvard Ukrainian Studies, The Journal of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University, Volume 36 (Number 3–4), 2019 (Pages 512-514). ISBN: 9781108713955

Lennon, O. (November 2019), "Why the Fight for the Hearts and Minds of People in Donbas Remains Urgent Today," Krytyka, Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, https://krytyka.com/en/articles/why-fight-hearts-and-minds-people-donbas

Lennon, O. (2019). “Six Reasons the ‘Opposition Platform’ Won in Eastern Ukraine,” Kennan Cable 45, Wilson Center, December 9, 2019, https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/kennan-cable-no-45-six-reasons-the-opposition-platform-won-eastern-ukraine

Lennon, O., Adams, G. (2019). "All is quiet on the Russian front: ceasefires and the pursuit of legitimacy by self-proclaimed "republics" in Ukraine" Eurasian Geography and Economics, July 30, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1080/15387216.2019.1645032. (Peer-reviewed)

Lennon, O., Becker, A. (2019). "Belarus at a Crossroads: Will the Russia-Ukraine War Make or Break It? An analysis of Belarus’s External Orientation Following the Maidan Revolution" forthcoming in Demokratizatsiya (peer-reviewed), 27 (3), pp. 319-348. (Peer-reviewed)

Lennon, O. (2018). "Documentary review of Peter Entell’s Like Dew in the Sun," Nationalities Papers 2018, 1-2. https://doi.org/10.1017/nps.2018.53. (Peer-reviewed)

Lennon, O. (2016). The Role of Donbas Universities in Reconciliation and Prevention of Future Conflicts in Ukraine. A policy paper written and presented as a part of the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s project "Rimlands, Buffer Zones, and Great Power Rivalry." Published by Columbia University Institute of War and Peace Studies. http://www.siwps.org/research/ukraine-between-russia-and-the-west-buffer-or-flashpoint-2/

Lennon, O. (2016). Ukraine’s Imaginary Patients: Why Health Care Reform is Long Overdue, Fair Observer, January 26, 2016.

Lennon, O., Milakovsky, B. (2015). Is Europe’s Buffer Zone in Ukraine Keeping it Safe? Fair Observer, December 4, 2015. Article named in the list of top 30 articles of 2015 (#21) on Johnson's Russia List, a project of the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs.

Lennon, O. (2015). Wanted: Competent Foreigners to Work for Ukrainian Government. YaleGlobal, 27 October 2015.

Lennon, O., Laskin, A. The Winners and Losers of anti-Russian Sanctions. Journal of Political Risk, 3(10), August 2015. (Peer-reviewed)

Lennon, O. (2015). No Time to Wait: Why Reconciliation in Ukraine Must (And Can) Happen Now. The National Interest, July 27, 2015.

Lennon, O. (2015). Abandoned: The Kiev Government's Isolation of Eastern Ukrainians. The National Interest, May 20, 2015.

Lennon, O. (2015). Ukrainian Politics Abroad. How the Ukrainian Diaspora Sees the Homeland. Foreign Affairs, March 17, 2015.

Kovtun, O. (2011). International student adaptation to a U.S. college: A mixed methods exploration of the impact of a specialized first-year course at a large Midwestern institution. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 48(3). DOI: 10.2202/1949-6605.6336. (Peer-reviewed)

Kovtun, O., Stick, S. (2009). Ukraine and the Bologna process: A case study of the impact of the Bologna process on Ukrainian state institutions. Higher Education in Europe, 34(1), 91-103. (Peer-reviewed)

Courses Taught
  • PSCI 2222 United States Foreign Policy
  • NSEC 4450 / NSPS 6674 / PSCI 4493 U.S. Foreign & Defense Policy
  • PSCI 2241 International Relations
  • PSCI 4498/NSEC 4456 Conflict Resolution
  • PSCI 1121 American Government and Politics

News and In the Media

The Charger Blog

National Security Professor’s Expertise Leads to Invitation to Leading International Conference in the Republic of Korea

Dr. Olena Lennon recently visited the Republic of Korea to moderate a session at the World Emerging Security Forum, describing the experience as a remarkable opportunity to share her expertise as well as learn from prominent leaders from around the world. The experience also enabled her to engage with the country’s rich culture, including visiting the Korean Demilitarized Zone.

The Charger Blog

Professor, Ukraine Native: ‘Ukraine Should Not Be Left Alone in its Fight for Survival'

Olena Lennon, Ph.D., an adjunct professor of political science, international affairs, and national security, hails from eastern Ukraine and has family and friends throughout the country, as well as in Russia. She discusses the history of the conflict between the two countries, her concerns for the safety of her loved ones, and what people around the world can do to support Ukraine.

In the Media

Vox: Is Russia holding back from cyberwar?

Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and international affairs, says the loss of junior and high-level commanders in the Russian military may be affecting ground operations in their invasion of Ukraine.

In the Media

CNN: Russia Keeps Up Attacks Despite Pledge to Scale Back

Vahid Behzadan, assistant professor of cybersecurity, computer and electrical engineering; Declan Hill, associate professor of investigations; Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and international affairs; David Sacco, a practitioner in residence of finance; and Howard Stoffer, professor of national security and international affairs, took part in a panel discussion on the war in Ukraine and it’s impact. The special program was part of collaboration with WFSB, with the show airing on WFSB+ and WFSB’s Facebook page.

In the Media

Eyewitness News 3: ANSWER DESK SPECIAL REPORT TONIGHT: Crisis in Ukraine

Vahid Behzadan, assistant professor of cybersecurity, computer and electrical engineering; Declan Hill, associate professor of investigations; Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and international affairs; David Sacco, a practitioner in residence of finance; and Howard Stoffer, professor of national security and international affairs, took part in a panel discussion on the war in Ukraine and its impact. The special program was part of collaboration with WFSB, with the show airing on WFSB+ and WFSB’s Facebook page.

In the Media

ABC News Australia: This Week

Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and international affairs, talks about the latest developments in Ukraine as civilians flee the country, while Russian troops intensify bombings of residential areas.

In the Media

Ticker News: Breaking News Kherson Falls

Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and international affairs, talks about how Russian troops were able to take the city of Kherson and how Russia miscalculated the Ukrainian resistance they would encounter.

In the Media

Ticker News: Ukraine Crisis

Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and international affairs, says the movement of Russian troops being viewed in real-time shows an attack could be coming within a matter of days.

In the Media

Newsy: Evening Debrief

Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and national security, talks about the Russian Minister of Defense claiming a military exercise has been completed and that troops would leave the border, but this cannot be confirmed by NATO or the U.S.

In the Media

War Scare: Russia, Ukraine, and the West

Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and national security, participated in discussions with other experts about the heightened tension in Ukraine as Russian troops are stationed on the border.

In the Media

WICC 600AM: Melissa In the Morning

Olena Lennon, an adjunct professor of political science and international affairs, talks about U.S. troops heading over to Eastern Europe and the continuing crisis at the border of Ukraine and Russia.

The Charger Blog

Political Science Professor Serves as Election Observer in Armenia

Olena Lennon, Ph.D., an adjunct professor of political science at the University of New Haven, reflects on her trip to Armenia in June as part of an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Election Observation Mission to observe early parliamentary elections. She discusses her role in the mission, visiting Armenia, and what she learned, as well as how she plans to draw on her experience in the classroom.