Dr. Syuzanna Vasilyan, Assistant Professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, participated in “Challenges and Perspectives on Contemporary Russia” at the University of Padova where she made a presentation on Russia’s Policy Towards The South Caucasus.  While she was in Padova, she also delivered a guest lecture on the Policy of the European Union towards the South Caucasus to the graduate students in International Politics and Diplomacy, Department of International Relations at the University of Padova, Italy.

Dr. Thomas Samuelian, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Stepan S. Khzrtian, Director  of the Center for Excellence in Negotiation, authored a study entitled “The Armenian Culture of Negotiation: A Social Institution under Reconstruction?” which appeared in  Yerevan State University’s scientific journal, the YSU Banber.   The paper examines the Armenian conception of effective and actual negotiation behavior in Armenia.

On February 4, President Bruce Boghosian led a tour of AUA’s campus to Birthright Armenia participants who are in Armenia volunteering through the Armenian Volunteer Corps and the Armenian Young Lawyers’ Association. The group, which had participants from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Canada, France and the US, had an opportunity to visit the newly renovated AGBU Papazian library, classrooms, and Manoogian Hall. They also had a unique opportunity to talk with President Boghosian about AUA’s founding, its existing graduate programs and the upcoming start of AUA’s undergraduate program.

Dr. Vahe Kharazyan explaining the design, mechanical and human errors that led to the most catastrophic accidents in the 60-year history of civilian nuclear power generation.

YEREVAN–A seminar exploring the nuclear disasters at Chernobyl, Fukushima and Three-Mile Island was held at the American University of Armenia on Tuesday, February 12.

The event, organized by the College of Science and Engineering and the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, reviewed the sequence of critical events leading up to the accidents at each plant, the countermeasures taken, their effectiveness, and the consequences of the public’s exposure to radiation.

“Armenia generates 40% of its electricity using nuclear power, a share that is expected to remain if not grow with the construction of a proposed new nuclear power plant,” said Alen Amirkhanian, Interim Director of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment. “At AUA, we see it as a responsibility to engage our students and the community at large to discuss both the advantages and risks of such an energy source.”

The seminar was be led Dr. Vahe Kharazyan, head of the Instrumentation and Control Department at the Yerevan Combined Cycle Power Plant (Yerevan JEK).

Kharazyan, who has been working in Armenia’s energy industry for more than five years as an engineer and consultant, briefly discussed the technologies employed in Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Three-Mile Island nuclear power plants.

For each of these catastrophic accidents, Dr. Kharazyan explained the series of events that led to disasters. In the case of Three-Mile Island and particularly Chernobyl, design shortcomings were severely complicated by operator and management errors.

In case of Fukushima, operator error did not play a part. The walls built to act as tsunami barriers were 5.7 meters tall whereas the actual tsunami waves that hit the plant on March 11, 2011 were 14 meters tall. The force of the waves knocked the backup system out of operation.

Kharazyan concluded the seminar by highlighting some of the policy changes that were made or are likely to be made in response to these nuclear disasters.

Dr. Kharazyan received his PhD in Cogeneration from the Energy Research Institute of Armenia and an MS degree in Science and Technology Policy from the University of Minnesota.

He has been actively involved with the PA Consulting Group in the preparation for the environmental impact assessment of the new nuclear power plant proposed for Armenia. Dr. Kharazyan is also a regular guest lecturer at the AUA course IE352 (Decision Making Tools for Energy).

In November of last year, AUA had organized a seminar on the environmental impact assessment prepared by the Armenian government for the proposed new nuclear power plant. Click here for more details on the November seminar.

The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia. Founded in 1991, AUA is affiliated with the University of California. Through teaching, research, and public service, AUA serves Armenia and the region by supplying high-quality, graduate and undergraduate education, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting democratic values.

The AUA is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-748-9001.

YEREVAN–The American University of Armenia reaffirmed its commitment to developing the study and practice of quantitative economics in Armenia at a public launch of its new Master of Science in Economics program on Thursday, February 7. The Open House event introduced the program to prospective students, finance professionals and the broader community.

“AUA is proud to do what we can to improve the state of quantitative economics, econometrics, and economic modeling in Armenia,” said AUA President Dr. Bruce Boghosian, stressing the significance of the new program, specifically designed with Armenia’s needs in mind. “It is with these goals in mind that this program has been developed. We see it as a natural priority to build this kind of human capacity in Armenia, and a central component of Armenia’s economic future.”

CBA Deputy Chairman Nerses Yeritsyan

The new program, devised by AUA with the cooperation and encouragement of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA), will prepare students for careers and advanced studies in a wide range of fields in economics. Career options include sectors such as public and private banking, insurance, consulting, quantitative analysis, and others.

“The Central Bank of Armenia is proud to support AUA’s MS in Economics program, which has come at an ideal time for Armenia, to build human and institutional capacity for conducting cutting-edge economic research and policy analyses,” said CBA Deputy Chairman Nerses Yeritsyan. “The Research and Training Centre of the CBA in Dilijan will serve as an excellent venue for students by hosting some of the MS in Economics program courses.”

The new Dilijan centre will also provide internship and job opportunities for students, as well as engage students and graduates in extensive research and policy analyses projects under the guidance of prominent international and senior CBA researchers and policy makers.

“In this way, we will build the next generation of competitive public policy makers and institutions to understand the mechanisms driving the global economy while developing local potential,” Yeritsyan added.

CBE Interim Dean Professor Dr. David Blake

Last week’s event also served as an opportunity to welcome Dr. David Blake, the recently appointed Interim Dean of AUA’s College of Business and Economics. Dr. Blake has joined AUA from the University of California Irvine, where he previously served as Dean of the Paul Merage School of Business.

“The use of economic modeling and ‘big data’ is an integral part of the chain of discovery, innovation, and implementation which the College of Business Administration and Economics is all about,” explained Dr. Blake.

Following opening remarks, Director of Admissions Arina Zohrabian highlighted AUA’s mission as an American institution of higher education, stressing the university’s principles and values. “AUA’s programs combine Armenia’s excellence in higher education with the American ideals of academic freedom, critical thinking, strong faculty and student governance, social responsibility and public service, interdisciplinary study, and the embracing of modern technologies,” she said.

Zohrabian also presented the targeted learning outcomes of the program and practical applications of a Master of Science in Economics degree, underscoring the theoretical knowledge, quantitative skills, and analytical abilities students will gain.

After a brief reception, prospective students gathered for a detailed presentation about the university as whole, as well as the structure of the Master of Science in Economics program.

AUA’s Financial Aid Coordinator Gayane Davoyan described financial assistance and scholarship opportunities, while Admissions Coordinator Karina Satamyan outlined the application process.

Prospective students then participated in a brief Q&A session and received a guided tour of the campus.

The 15-month program is a division of the AUA College of Business and Economics and is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2013. The early admission deadline for applications is February 15, 2013 while the regular admission deadline is April 22, 2013. For updates and information, please send inquiries to [email protected].

The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia. Founded in 1991, AUA is affiliated with the University of California. Through teaching, research, and public service, AUA serves Armenia and the region by supplying high-quality, graduate and undergraduate education, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting democratic values.

The AUA is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-748-9001.