Senior research fellow at the Institute of the History of Ukraine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Valentyna Shevchenko mastered her history major in Vynnychenko Kirovohrad State Pedagogical University where she had lectured until 2005, and was a deputy dean. In 2009, she defended her Candidate thesis on the development of banking activities in South of Ukraine in the 19th and early 20th century.

Valentyna is the author / compiler of over 60 research, training and methodological works on the history of Ukraine of the 19th and early 20th century and law studies, such as the monograph on "Private Banking Business in Odesa (19th – early 20th century), Kyiv, 2010;" chapters in such collective publications as the "Economic History of Ukraine: Historical and Economic Study: in 2 Vol., Kyiv, 2011," "The Great War of 1914–1918 and Ukraine. In 2 vol., K., 2014–2015." Since 2011, she has been member of the organization committee of the annual International Scientific Conference "History of Trade, Taxes, and Custom Duties" (Dnipro); she is an acting secretary of the editorial board of the collection of papers on “Issues of the History of Ukraine of the 19th – early 20th century". Valentyna also participated in two research summer schools - "Jewish History and Culture of the Central and East Europe of the 19-20th centuries." (Center for Urban History, Lviv, Ukraine, 2012) and "Catching up or Falling Behind? Institutions, Geography and Economic Development of Eastern Europe in the Long Run" (Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany, 2014). Moreover, she stayed on the research residence on "Building Public Space of a Modern City in Ukraine (second half of the 19th century and early 20th century)" (Center for Urban History, Lviv, Ukraine, 2019).

Her research focus is on historical urban studies, social and economic history of Ukraine of the 19-20th century, Ukrainian context of the First World War.

Presently, in addition to studying the process of building a public space of Ukraine’s cities in the Modern era, Valentyna lays much focus on exploring the aspects of keeping memories about the First World War in Ukrainian society (historical memory and commemorative practices, memoirs and epistolary heritage, visual chronicles of the frontline life). In 2020–2021, she participated in a research project "A Human in the War: Ukrainian Society through the Lens of the First and Second World Wars" implemented under the Program Supporting Nationally Prioritized Scholarly Studies and Research and Development (experimental projects) of the NAS of Ukraine.

At the Center for Urban History, she participates in projects on documenting experiences of war; she will also engage in education initiatives.