Category: 2019

BY HOVSEP DAGHDIGIAN

With the end of summer approaching, most students are anxious to be out of school for the next few months. However at the Cosmic Ray Division of the Yerevan Physics Institute’s Nor Ambert research station, 16 enthusiastic young Armenians gathered for a series of intensive physics lectures.

Starting on May 13, a 3-day class on physics began with lectures by noted scientists: Professor Ashot Chilingarian, head of Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division; visiting Professor Johannes Knapp, from the DESSY research center in Germany; and Dr. Tigran Karapetyan, a senior researcher at the Cosmic Ray Division.

The 16 students were from Yerevan, Vanatsor, and Vaghashapat (Echmiadzin) with enrollment equally divided between young men and women. A few of the students were originally from Syria. Three of the students recently completed, or are completing, their bachelor degrees and are continuing their science education. The rest are high school students. Students remained at CRD’s facilities on Mt. Aragats for the duration of the class. Enrollment was free; students had only to successfully complete a test indicating they were prepared for the level of instruction that was offered, and that they were reasonably proficient in English.

On day one Professor Knapp opened with introductory remarks, followed by a lecture on Cosmic Ray Physics by Professor Chilingarian. After an hour break for lunch, Dr. Tigran Karapetyan delved into the physics of the instruments which monitor cosmic radiation. While doing so he established a remarkable rapport with the students, with numerous questions and answers illuminating the subject. Occasional humorous comments by both Karapetyan and the students elicited laughter.

Later that afternoon, all gathered at the laboratory for a hands-on examination of a cosmic ray particle detector—designed by CRD’s physicists. Students adjusted operational parameters, and viewed the detector’s data which was displayed on an attached computer screen. During the subsequent days, Professor Knapp lectured in English with Professor Chilingarian and Dr. Karapetian lecturing in Armenian.

The level of instruction was impressive and a testimony to the seriousness of the students’ intent to pursue their interest in science, as well as the ability of the lectures to connect with, and encourage, the students.

A few days after the class, a group of the students sent an email to the organizers of the summer school. With quotes from Albert Einstein, they expressed their appreciation to the lecturers, thanking the Cosmic Ray Division and DESY for making this summer school possible. In addition to world class research, science education is one of the primary goals of the Cosmic Ray Division.

WASHINGTON—Thousands of new Armenian Americans are having their voices heard in the halls of government. Thanks to the Armenian National Committee of America’s Rapid Responder program, the community’s opinions are being heard at federal, state, and local levels.

The first three months of 2019 saw record-level engagement in the program, which empowers activists to rapidly respond every time the ANCA posts an action alert on issues. The issues range from justice for the Armenian Genocide and freedom for Artsakh, to stronger U.S.-Armenia relations. By registering, responders get a 24-hour preview of letters being sent on their behalf to key decision-makers, with an opt-out option, before messages are sent on their behalf.

The strongest growth during the first quarter of 2019 was among Armenian School students, including the hundreds that visited the ANCA on field trips to Washington, D.C. During these field trips, the ANCA provide students with interactive presentations on Armenian American advocacy, and sign them up as Rapid Responders. Seniors and retired Armenian Americans also saw meaningful growth, as did Armenian Americans from non-traditional communities—ranging from Alaska to Arkansas.

“The ANCA Rapid Responder program is a low-maintenance, high-impact, user-friendly advocacy tool,” shared ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan. “With Armenian issues developing so quickly on Capitol Hill, hours matter and sometimes even minutes count. That’s why it’s so essential for legislators to hear right away from their voters. Our Rapid Responders deliver the impact we need—on time and on target.”

Becoming an ANCA Rapid Responder is a quick and easy two-step process. Advocates interested in signing up should first visit the website, fill in their name, address, phone, and email, then click “Sign Me Up!” Next, participants are asked to reply to a Rapid Responder confirmation email. Once registered, participants will receive specialized Rapid Responder updates sharing action items for their review.

The Society for Armenian Studies established the “Graduate Research and Conference Grants Program for M.A. and Ph.D. Students” in 2019. The aim of the grant program is to provide resources for graduate students to conduct research and present papers at conferences. Grants of up to $500 are awarded semi-annually to eligible graduate students. The inaugural group of applicants were chosen by a selection committee composed of members of the SAS Executive Council.

Pauline Pechakjian, an M.A. student at the University of Irvine, applied for a travel grant to conduct research in Armenia. Pauline’s M.A. thesis is entitled “Rethinking ‘Repatriation’: A Social History of the Mass Migration of Diaspora Armenians to Soviet Armenia, 1946-49.”

“I am appreciative of the funding that will facilitate my travel to Armenia this summer,” said Pechakjian. “As a young scholar, it is an honor to have my research aims recognized and supported by one of the most important academic organizations in the field of Armenian studies, and I look forward to sharing the findings of my research with the SAS community.”

Julia Hintlian, a Doctoral candidate at Harvard University, applied for a grant to participate in the “New Research on Ancient Armenia: Second Geneva Workshop for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Researchers” at the University of Geneva, May 31 -June 1.

“The conference is significant to my scholarly career for two reasons,” stated Hintlian. First, it will allow me to engage with Armenian Studies in a cross-cultural, trans-linguistic look forward to finding common ground with my international colleagues. Second, my presentation is fundamentally theological in nature, and as an aspiring scholar of religion, I will seek to highlight the value of theological lenses to original research in Armenian Studies.” Hintlian will present a paper entitled: “Homegrown Flock: Rethinking the Delayed Emergence of the Lamb of God in Armenian Manuscript Illumination,” at the Geneva conference.

Nora Lessersohn, a Doctoral student at University College London, is working on a doctoral project, preliminarily titled “Ambitions of an Ottoman Armenian in America (1834 – 1895).” By studying the life and intra-communal encounters of Ottoman Armenian American Christopher Oscanyan, Lessersohn’s research seeks to complicate “monolithic portrayals of the past” and demonstrate “the complex range of attitudes, ideas, and norms within historical Armenian, American, and Ottoman societies.” Her dissertation will focus on Oscanyan’s publications, including an “Oriental Album” of photographs he produced during the American Civil War.

“The SAS grant has allowed me to procure high-quality research images of these photos and their descriptions, which are invaluable to my project as a whole,” stated Lessersohn.

Sargis Baldaryan, a Doctoral student at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, is working on his doctoral thesis entitled “In Pursuit of ‘the Most Precious Good’: Armenian Commercial Manuals in the Julfan Global Trade Network.” The SAS grant will assist Baldaryan in attending the “Sixth CEM International Graduate Conference on Cultural Entanglement, Transfer and Contention in Mediterranean Communities” at Central European University in Budapest, in May30 – June 1. Baldaryan will present a paper entitled “Exploring Early Modern Armenian Business Correspondence: Mediterranean Trade Through Letters Sent to Hierapet di martin in Venice.”

“This inspiring initiative of SAS is bound to make a significant contribution to young scholars’ careers as future professional specialists,” said Baldaryan. “It will provide them with financial assistance to carry out their own projects in a wide range of academic institutions and promote Armenian studies around the world.”

Ani Yenokyan is a Doctoral student in Art History and Theory and is a junior researcher at the Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran, in Armenia. Yenoyan’s doctoral thesis is entitled “Armenian Printed Book Illustrations in the 16th – 18th Centuries.” The SAS grant will provide support for Yenokyan to attend the conference “New Research on Ancient Armenia: Second Geneva Workshop for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Researchers” at the University of Geneva, May 31 – June 1, where she will present a paper on “Armenian Printing as a Bridge Between Late Medieval and Early Modern Armenian art.”

“This workshop tends to give an opportunity for young researchers working in the field of Armenian studies to present their work in progress,” commented Yenokyan. “For me, it is more important because this year’s Geneva workshop is giving preference to subjects relating to pre-modern issues and practices.”

“This is the first time that SAS has established such a grant,” noted SAS President Bedross Der Matossian. “We are glad that we are be able to help young scholars in the field, whether by assisting them in their research or helping them to travel to conferences. We hope that in the future we will be able to fund a larger pool of applicants.”

The SAS congratulates the first recipients of the SAS Graduate Research and Conference Grants for M.A. and Ph.D. students and wish them much success in their research and academic careers.

The deadline for the next application cycle is September 1.

The SAS Graduate and Research Grant was made possible through the generous institutional support of: the Armenian Studies Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; the Armenian Research Center, University of Michigan, Dearborn; the Meghrouni Family Presidential Chair in Armenian Studies, University of California, Irvine; the Hovannisian Chair of Modern Armenian History, University of California, Los Angeles; the Arthur H. Dadian and Ara Oztemel Chair of Armenian Art & Architecture, Tufts University; the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research; the Armenian Communities Department, Gulbenkian Foundation; the Armenian Studies Program, California State University, Fresno; the Robert Aram, Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies, Clark University; the Armenian Studies Program, University of California, Berkeley; and the Institute of Armenian Studies, University of Southern California.

The Society of Armenian Studies is an international body, composed of scholars and students, whose aims are to promote the study of Armenian culture and society, including history, language, literature, and social, political, and economic questions; to facilitate the exchange of scholarly information pertaining to Armenian studies around the world; and to sponsor panels and conferences on Armenian studies.

For membership information or more information on the Society for Armenian Studies, please visit the SAS website.

Newly appointed ANCA Government Affairs Director will spearhead Armenian American advocacy with Congress and the Administration

WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America announced Tuesday that Tereza Yerimyan will serve as Government Affairs Director, leading federal level advocacy on Armenian American policy priorities on Capitol Hill, at the White House, and with the State Department.

“Armenian Americans are blessed to be represented in Washington, DC by a professional powerhouse – with the skills, commitment, and command of public policy needed to advance our community’s priorities with Congress and the Administration,” said ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian. “Her formidable political background and deep understanding of our community developed over her many years working on the ANCA team – locally, regionally, and nationally – will serve her well in this new post.”

Prior to her appointment as ANCA Government Relations Director, Yerimyan served as the Program Director for the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program (ANCA CGP), a job placement program that helps young professionals realize their public policy career aspirations in Washington, D.C. In that position, the ANCA CGP saw historic gains in the number of young Armenian American professionals finding employment on Capitol Hill and across the nation’s capital.

“I’m honored and excited to take on this new role as ANCA Government Affairs Director,” said Yerimyan. “I look forward to expanding our relationships on Capitol Hill and with the Executive Branch – working with our close allies and engaging new ones. I also look forward to working with the newly formed Congressional Armenian Staffers Association (CASA) to help grow the Armenian American presence in Congress and throughout our nation’s capital.”

Yerimyan came to Washington, DC in 2017, following her tenure as the ANCA Western Region’s Government Affairs Director. In that capacity, she worked with a distinguished team of volunteers and staff to successfully advocate for the recognition of Artsakh by the State of California, expand Armenian Genocide education resources for Los Angeles Unified School District, and expand ANCA’s federal and state level advocacy across the western United States.

A graduate of the ANCA Western Region and ANCA Leo Sarkisian internships in 2010 and 2011, respectively, she has been an outspoken proponent of Armenian American student and young professional involvement in civic activism and done extensive outreach to universities and youth groups, encouraging participation in the wide array of national, regional, and local ANCA public policy internship and career opportunities. Tereza has been an equally passionate advocate for her local community, serving as president of the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council for 5 years, where she and her board addressed a variety of municipal issues on behalf of the over 80,000 residents in the council’s jurisdiction.

Born in Armenia and raised in Hollywood, California’s “Little Armenia” neighborhood, Tereza holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Among the ANCA’s priorities are upgrading the U.S.-Armenia strategic partnership, protecting Artsakh, and securing justice for the Armenian Genocide.

SACRAMENTO—Legislation that will re-establish a trade office between California and Armenia passed in the State Senate on consent with unanimous support on Wednesday. The bill, SB 302, was authored by State Senator Anthony J. Portantino.

“SB 302 will formalize trade and economic ties between California and Armenia. As the representative of the largest Armenian community in the country, I am very honored and glad that this bill is moving forward in the Senate and I look forward to seeing the trade office established. California is an economic leader and the Armenian Community is a vital part of our success. This will be helpful to California and Armenia,” commented Portantino.

SB 302 has Senator Scott Wilk (R- Santa Clarita) as a principal co-author and its co-authors are senators Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), Scott Winer (D-San Francisco), Henry Stern (D- Calabasas), as well as State Assmebly members Autumn Burke (D- Inglewood) and Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley).

“After advocating for the re-opening of the Trade Office first with Governor Brown and more recently with Governor Newsom and hosting a Legislative Trade Study trip to Armenia to lay a foundation for this project, the ANCA-WR is grateful to the California State Senate and to Senator Portantino for recognizing this as an important step toward further deepening the trade and economic relations between California and Armenia, especially in the IT, tourism, biotechnology, and other sectors. The ANCA-WR remains committed to use the resources at its disposal to help accomplish this goal,” said Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region chairwoman Nora Hovsepian Esq.

In March, SB 302 unanimously, and with strong bi-partisan support, passed the State Senate’s Business and Professions Committee. Baibourtian flew to Sacramento to offer testimony in favor of the proposal.

“Armenia is an important trade partner with California with strong and long-standing relationships. SB 302 will formalize trade and economic ties. As the representative of the largest Armenian community in a legislative district in the country, I am very honored and glad that this bill is moving forward in the Senate. California is embracing the Armenian Community and all it has to offer our state and it’s exciting to be part of that excitement,” Portantino said at the time.

SB 302 will establish a regional trade office to promote economic relations in a developing area of the world that show emerging market potential. The regional trade office would be located in Armenia and would serve the developing economies of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Armenia has worked hard to develop diplomatic and economic ties worldwide. Today, 120 countries have recognized Armenia as an independent state and over 70 countries have established direct diplomatic relations.

“One or my top priorities as Consul General is to increase economic opportunities between Armenia and the California. I was very pleased to offer testimony in support of this important proposal. There is tremendous excitement in Yerevan, Glendale and Sacramento about the burgeoning beneficial relationship on the horizon and feel we are capturing that excitement. Our hope it will lead to mutual benefit,” said Armenia’s Consul General to Los Angeles, Ambassador Armen Baibourtian, at the time of the March committee approval of the bill

Former Calif. State Senator Jack Scott originally created the California/Armenia International Trade Office through legislation. Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger terminated it in 2007. SB 302 would require the Yerevan trade and investment office to, among other things, promote the export of California goods and services into the Republic of Armenia and facilitate access to educational exchange programs between California and the Republic of Armenia.