ANSEF GRANTS

In the mid 1990s, the demise of the Soviet Union brought upon the nation yet an-other crisis of historical proportions. Economic collapse and war lead to the destruction of much of what was so painstakingly built over the past decades in the scientific and cultural realms, accompanied by an exodus of scientists and artists to Europe and the Americas.

 

However, due to efforts of the Diaspora, progress is on the rise with the hard work of many brave scientists and scholars who remained in Armenia to continue their work in their country. It is imperative however that Armenians outside Armenia contribute both logistically and economically to such an operation, bringing their wealth and expertise in western institutions into the equation. The desire of the Diaspora to assist the scientific enterprise in the Republic of Armenia has produced significant efforts. Late in 1999, in New York City, a group of Armenian academic and other intellectuals gathered and established an organization called the Armenian National Science and Education Fund (ANSEF) that operates under the umbrella of the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR).

 

ANSEF’s purpose is to assist in maintaining and strengthening the Armenian intellectual community by providing peer reviewed research awards to support scientific, technological and scholarly research. This passionate group included Tavit Najarian, Edgar Housepian, Mihran Agbabian, Vartan Grigorian, Aram Chobanian, Harut Barsamian, Anahid Kazanjian Longobardo, Tamar Hajian, and Yervant Terzian.

 

In the last eight years, after establishing and describing the ANSEF process of competitive peer reviewed research awards, ANSEF has received between 200 and 300 research proposals per year requesting funding. It has been possible to provide funds for about 200 projects. Proposals have been received mostly from scientists and scholars who are associated with the various research centers of the Academy of Sciences and from faculty members of the Universities in Armenia.

 

Researchers in Armenia realize the importance of this new peer review system that serves as international validation of their work. Normally, the peer reviews indicate that about twice as many proposals should be supported every year, but unfortunately, ANSEF has a limited budget to provide for all. ANSEF’s Research Council is Chaired by Prof. Yervant Terzian at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Other members are Prof. Vatche Sahakian, Dr. Lilit Yeghiazarian, and Dr. Ashot Papoyan. To date more than 100 academic referees have participated in reviewing and evaluating proposals, including Nobel Laureates.

 

Normally the annual ANSEF request for proposals is announced on the ANSEF website http://www.ansef.org every June 1st, and proposals are due electronically by August 30 each year. After the peer review process is complete, the ANSEF awards are announced late in December each year.

 

Since 2001, more than 500 senior and junior scientists and scholars have benefited from the support that ANSEF has provided. Their research work has resulted in at least 250 articles published in prestigious international academic journals, boosting the global reputation of Armenia's research community. ANSEF is assuring that Armenia stays at the forefront of exciting scientific and scholarly research.

 

In the field of astronomy and astrophysics, ANSEF has supported 26 projects (USD 5000 each; projects by 19 Principal Investigators involving more than 60 scientists), including 20 from Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) and 6 from the Yerevan State University (YSU).

 

Past ANSEF grants on astronomical subjects

 

2010

Hakobyan A.A. (BAO), Different Type of Supernovae, Stellar Population and Star Formation in Galaxies

Mahtesyan A.P. (BAO), Two-point correlation functions of groups and clusters of galaxies, radio galaxies and quasars

 

2009

Ohanian, G.A. (BAO), Integral Field Spectroscopy of Different Types Radio Galaxies with Various Linear Sizes

 

2008

Nikoghosyan, E.H. (BAO), The investigation of the very active star formation region in Cygnus OB7 complex

Sadoyan, A.A. (YSU), Investigation of Gravitational Wave Sources in Medium Frequency Band

 

2007

Balayan S.K. (BAO), Reconstruction of the BAO 1m Schmidt Type Telescope

Mickaelian A.M. (BAO), Science with the Armenian Virtual Observatory

 

2006

Mahtesyan A.P. (BAO), The Influence of the Surroundings on the Physical Characteristics of Galaxies in Groups

Nikoghosyan, E.H. (BAO), Search and the Proper Motions of Herbig-Haro Objects in the Star Forming Regions

Ter-Kazarian G.T. (BAO), Multi-Nuclei Features of Markarian Galaxies and Physical Mechanism Beyond

 

2005

Andreasyan R.R. (BAO), The 3-D structure of the magnetic field of the Galaxy

Saharian A.A. (YSU), Casimir Densities and Induced Cosmological Constant in Higher-Loop String Cosmology

Sedrakyan D.M. (YSU), Gravitational Waves from Relativistic Superdense Stellar Objects

 

2004

Andreasyan R.R. (BAO), The Distribution of Free Electrons in the Galaxy

Hakopian S.A. (BAO), 3D-study of SBS galaxies

Ter-Kazarian G.T. (BAO), An Activity of Galactic Nuclei and Superdense “Protomatter” Sources in the Universe

 

2003

Movsessian T.H. (BAO), Multi-Component Investigation of Extragalactic Radio Sources

Vardanyan Yu.L. (YSU), Quark Matter in Superdense Stellar Objects

Zalinian V.P. (BAO), Updating the Control of the Telescope ZTA-2.6

 

2002

Hovhannisyan M.A. (BAO), The Investigation of the Extended Radio Galaxies

Magakian T.Yu. (BAO), Searches and Detailed Studies of Outflows from PMS Stars

Mickaelian A.M. (BAO), Digitization of the First Byurakan Survey (FBS)

Shahabasyan K.M. (YSU), Problems of Magnetic Field Behavior and Rotational Dynamics of Pulsars

 

2001

Khachikian E.Ye. (BAO), Radio and Optical Investigations of Extragalactic Objects

Mickaelian A.M. (BAO), Study of Starburst/AGN/Interaction Phenomena in IRAS Galaxies

Saharian A.A. (YSU), Dynamics of Higher-Loop String Cosmology and Dilation Stabilization