Between 2022–2025 Elina Akselrud held a University Research Assistant position, while working on her doctoral project “Artistic Interpretation in a Crossdicsiplinary Context - The Late Piano Œuvre of Alexander Scriabin” (2020–2025) at the Center for Artistic Research, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. Her internal supervisors were O.Univ.Prof. Markus Schirmer and Univ.Prof. Mag.art Dr.Phil. Deniz Peters, while Prof. Håkon Austbø and Prof. MPhil. Anna Gawboy, PhD were the external advisors.

The main concentration of her work is researching through practice on the use of the time, space, gesture, and timbre in a musical interpretation, and intersubjective artistic decision-making between multiple creatives working on a piece simultaneously in a crossdiscipinary environment. Among Elina’s public activities in the field of Artistic Research are presentations at the ARTikultationen 2022 (Graz, Austria), Orpheus Doctoral Conference 2022 (Ghent, Belgium), and the documentary film of an Intertwining Arts project “Vers le Mystère”, encompassing piano miniature of Alexander Scriabin interlaced with contemporary dance improvisation by Lea Orož (premiered live in Graz), has been released in 2023. During the same year Elina Akselrud has presentation based on her project “The Scriabin Sonatas Reimagined, Part 2” has successfully taken place during the VIII Art of Research Conference 2023 in Aalto, Finland. The cinematic version of the project has been released on December 30, 2023, and the live premiere has taken place on February 29, 2024 at György-Ligeti-Saal MUMUTH in Graz, Austria, as part of the abo@MUMUTH seasonal program.

In April 2024 Elina assisted Dr. Anna Gawboy in producing the lighted performance of Alexander Scriabin’s “Prometheus”, Op.60 with Boston Symphony Orchestra, simultaneously conducting her own research on interdisciplinary artistic productions.

Currently Elina is engaged in publishing expositions and articles about her work. Her recent publication “The TIME, SPACE, and GESTURE in a crossdisciplinary context” has been issued by the Finnish Journal RUUKKU — Studies in Artistic Research.

In October 2025 she has successfully completed her doctoral project and was awarded her Doctor Artium Degree with Excellence. The video of her doctoral defense can be viewed by clicking here.