YEREVAN, Armenia — As the Fall 2025 semester approaches, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is pleased to welcome Assistant Professor Dr. Matthew Reale-Hatem to the faculty of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Trained as an economist, Dr. Reale-Hatem is broadly interested in conservation policy, using methodologies of economics and political science to explore how socio-ecological systems interact with challenges of sustainable development. These interests have led to a focus on ecosystem restoration and protected lands, with research projects including protected area evaluation in the mangrove forests of Brazil, planning for ecosystem restoration under climate change dynamics, and examining governance practices in the seascapes of Eastern Indonesia. Dr. Reale-Hatem received a Ph.D. from Duke University’s “University Program in Environmental Policy” and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Pomona College in Claremont, California, with a minor in economics. After beginning university studies planning to major in physics, Dr. Reale-Hatem was drawn to the social sciences for their policy relevance and the opportunity to be part of solutions to the environmental crises. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Reale-Hatem completed a term of service with AmeriCorps in an elementary school and held a variety of other jobs in primary education. Dr. Reale-Hatem hails from coastal Maine.
When asked which part of the AUA experience holds the most appeal, Dr. Reale-Hatem shared the following: “I am most looking forward to getting to know the people of AUA: building research collaborations, hearing from students in my courses, and sharing conversations outside the classroom. Yerevan is a new place for me, and I have greatly appreciated the warm welcome and sense of community here.”
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.