DILIJAN, Armenia — On July 14, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Acopian Center for the Environment energized the halls of Armath Technocamp with a dynamic, hands-on workshop titled “Environmental Stewards: Developing a Responsible Approach Towards the Environment.” Co-organized with the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE), this event united 100 students (ages 11–15) from Armenia’s Yerevan, Armavir, Ararat, Syunik, Shirak, and Lori regions, as well as Georgia’s Javakheti province, in hands-on exploration and citizen science. The event aimed to spark curiosity and inspire environmental agency among the young generation.
The day began with an interactive session led by Aida Papikyan, researcher at the AUA Acopian Center, who invited students to reflect on the water bodies in their home communities. Participants visualized and sketched local rivers, springs, and lakes, launching a discussion on the importance of healthy freshwater ecosystems. This activity laid the foundation for deeper engagement in the sessions that followed.
The first science-oriented session introduced the concept of water quality monitoring through citizen science. Dr. Garabet Kazanjian, assistant professor at AUA, explained the causes and consequences of algal blooms, emphasizing the roles of phosphorus and nitrogen runoff. Students then engaged in a practical experiment, using field kits to test spring water samples for pH, ammonia, and phosphorus levels, thereby learning to detect pollutants themselves and connect scientific data to real-world environmental issues.
Building on this, Marine Dallakyan from the Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia led an engaging session on biological water monitoring. She introduced students to aquatic macroinvertebrates — tiny organisms that serve as biological indicators of ecosystem health. Students learned how these creatures are collected, how to identify them, and what their presence (or absence) can reveal about the state of local water bodies. Enthusiastic and curious, the participants worked in teams to sort, identify, and explain the meaning of each aquatic organism, sparking animated conversations about biodiversity.
The final session focused on the growing issue of plastic waste and was facilitated by Emil Mkrtchyan, community outreach and field officer for the Waste Policy Armenia (WPA) program at the Acopian Center. In preparation for the workshop, students had collected plastic waste generated during their time at camp. During the session, they analyzed and categorized their findings, learned about the different types of plastic used in Armenia, and discussed which materials are recyclable. A friendly competition encouraged participants to identify the most recyclable items, while the overall activity deepened their understanding of plastic pollution and everyday waste reduction.
These workshops, organized within the framework of the OTTERS project and the WPA Program, reflect the Acopian Center’s commitment to advancing environmental action and promoting STEM education.
The energy in the room spoke volumes: students eagerly volunteered to drop reagents into test tubes, tracked color changes with enthusiasm, began recognizing aquatic macroinvertebrates by name, and asked insightful questions about how to live more sustainably by reducing plastic consumption. This growing curiosity and sense of responsibility is exactly what the event aimed to nurture — creating a new wave of young environmental stewards ready to shape the sustainable future of their communities.
The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, a research center of the American University of Armenia (AUA), promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. The AUA Acopian Center’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity protection and conservation, greening the built environment, sustainable energy, as well as information technology and the environment. Visit http://ace.aua.am.
The OTTERS project has received funding from the European Commission’s Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Actions programme under Grant agreement No 101094041. The information and views of this article lie entirely with the authors. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Visit https://otters-eu.aua.am/ for more information.
The Swedish-funded “Waste “Waste Policy Armenia” program is implemented by the Acopian Center for the Environment in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment of Armenia and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia. Visit ace.aua.am/projects/waste_policy/.
