2016 Summer Graduate Course at AUA: GIS and Environmental Analysis

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YEREVAN, Armenia – From May 23rd through June 10th, American University of Armenia (AUA) Acopian Center for the Environment (ACE) Adjunct Lecturer Arthur Dolmajian held a summer course aimed to introduce and develop introductory and intermediate skills in application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to visualize, analyze, and interpret relationships, patterns, and trends in the fields of environmental science, public health, agriculture, and transportation.

The course fulfilled the AUA graduate degree environmental requirement, however, it was also open to the public as part of AUA’s outreach efforts. 20 students attending were from AUA, 9 from other institutions in Armenia such as the Institute of Geological Science (IGS) (National Academy of Sciences of Armenia), and the rest included architects, environmentalists, scientists, and curious individuals. Among the public attendees were the members of the TransArmenian Trail team who had presented at the AUA Ecotourism Conference back in April.

The aim of the TransArmenian Trail is to build Armenia’s first long-distance wilderness hiking route from the Georgian to the Iranian border. The trail blazers can apply the skills and knowledge of the GIS and Environmental Analysis Course for their mapping developments, to further provide hiking opportunities and contribute to the emerging ecotourism industry in Armenia.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides US-style education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.