U.S. State Department’s Renewable Energy POD Visits AUA

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YEREVAN, Armenia – On October 7, 2015, the American University of Armenia (AUA) welcomed several members of the U.S. State Department’s Renewable Energy Partnership Opportunity Delegation (POD) for a tour of AUA’s facilities and a discussion on renewable energy practices at AUA. Guests were welcomed by Vice President of Operations Ashot Ghazaryan, who introduced the university and its programs, discussed its various affiliations with governmental and environmental agencies in Armenia, and shared its numerous environmental practices, including the use of solar panels for energy conservation.

Ghazaryan shared, “We perform trainings at AUA with people from other institutions through our Extension program, main program, and research centers, and we’re working closely with the Ministry of Energy so that we can help them develop new legislation and come up with new suggestions and tools for encouraging people to use solar panels in Armenia.”

Following the tour of AUA’s facilities, POD members met with faculty and researchers from the College of Science & Engineering (CSE), the Acopian Center for the Environment (ACE), and the Information & Technology Incubation Center (ITIC). The discussion was led by ACE Director Alen Amirkhanian, and centered around impressions of Armenia and its potential for development in the sphere of renewable energy and environmental sustainability. The group also discussed what AUA can do as a university in terms of knowledge and human capacity building in order to create a population that is conscious of environmental concerns and practices.

One POD member, Dr. Peter Gevorkian, President of Vector Delta Design Group, stated, “This is the first time I’ve visited Armenia, and I am incredibly impressed. I really think this country has an enormous potential for growth and development.”

Mikael Matossian, affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles, commented, “There is a lot of hope for positive change from the government, NGO’s, and universities like AUA that are leading the way for renewable energy development in Armenia.”

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment (AUA ACE) is a research center of the American University of Armenia. AUA ACE promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. AUA ACE’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity and conservation, greening the built environment, clean energy and energy efficiency, as well as information technology and the environment.

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 a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.