Dr. Akulov grew up in the Bay Area and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California-Berkeley in 2003. He entered the graduate program at the University of California-Santa Barbara in 2004 to pursue a doctoral degree in history and graduated with a Doctor in Philosophy in 2012.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​‍‍‌‌​‌‍‍​‌‌‌‍​‌​‌​​​‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‍‌‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Subsequently, Dr. Akulov taught history at his alma mater as well as at the University of California-Irvine and Westmont College and worked as a Curriculum Specialist for the Santa Barbara Unified School District. He is excited to join the faculty at BASIS Independent Fremont to teach World and U.S. History to middle school students.

“I love working with students because it is an incredible opportunity to connect with young minds and assist them in the expansion of their knowledge as well as analytical prowess,” says Dr. Akulov. “In my teaching, I strive to excite students with stories about experiences by the previous generations and to further their critical thinking skills. My goal is to demonstrate how knowing the past is crucial to choices that our society makes in the present and to help provide students with skills to interpret historical developments.”

In his free time, Dr. Akulov likes reading history books and biographies, expanding his personal library collection, bike riding, and hiking outdoors, visiting museums, and spending time with his family.