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 33 projects (USD 5000 each; projects by 21 Principal
Investigators involving more than 70 scientists), including 27 from Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) and 6 from the Yerevan State University
(YSU).
Past ANSEF grants on astronomical
subjects
2012
Mickaelian A.M. (BAO), Study of Multiwavelength Properties of Markarian Galaxies using Virtual Observatory
Movsessian T.H. (BAO), Spectro-imagery of Herbig-Haro jets with scanning Fabry-Perot interferometery
Yeghikyan A. (BAO), Theoretical investigation of cosmic ray and ultraviolet radiation processing of astrobiologically relevant ices in interstellar molecular clouds
2011
Andreasyan R.R. (BAO), The differences in the morphology and physical properties in parent
galaxies of nearby extragalactic radio sources and other elliptical galaxies of
the same luminosities and red shifts from the field
Hakobyan A.A. (BAO), Study of the supernova progenitors via their host galaxies from the SDSS
DR7
Magakian T.Yu. (BAO), Searches of young stellar objects by H-alpha and CaII
emission
Sargsyan L.A. (BAO), Dust obscuration and velocity distribution in narrow line regions of
AGN
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