PRESS RELEASE
Support Committee for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division (SCACRD)
April 13, 2009
Joseph Dagdigian
For questions contact Anahid Yeremian
650 926-4444
[email protected] ; [email protected]
* *
CRD HEAD PROF. ASHOT CHILINGARIAN NAMED PHYSICS INSTITUTE DIRECTOR
In November 2008, Professor Ashot Chilingarian was appointed director of
the Yerevan Physics Institute (YerPhI). Chilingarian accepted the
position on an interim basis during which the institute will be
reorganized while a search is conducted for a permanent director.
Chilingarian remains the head of the institute’s Cosmic Ray Division
(CRD). Under his leadership the CRD has established a prominent role in
the international scientific community, and has provided a number of
young Armenian scientists and engineers an opportunity to train and work
at CRD’s research stations on Mt. Aragats. With Diasporan support, he
has been able to establish international research partnerships and
projects which leverage Diaspora contributions 5 fold.
Prof. Chilingarian earned his Ph.D. in 1984 and Doctor of Science in
Physics and Mathematics from Yerevan Physics Institute in 1991, becoming
the deputy director of the institute as well as head of the Cosmic Ray
Division in 1993. Since 1975 he has been a lecturer of Physics and
Software Engineering at Yerevan State University (YSU).
Chilingarian’s expertise is in the sphere of high energy astroparticle
physics. He has been awarded more than 20 research grants from
foundations including the International Science and Technology Center
and the International Technology and Science foundation. These grants,
together with Diaspora help, were crucial in supporting CRD’s ongoing
scientific research during the most difficult years of Armenia’s
independence and continue to be essential today. Chilingarian is the
author of the ANI computer code library, which has been extensively used
during the last few decades for analysis of cosmic ray detector data. He
also introduced analytical methods to distinguish between gene
expression in normal and tumor-affected tissue, a problem which is
mathematically similar to identifying constituent particles in cosmic
rays. Under his supervision, the Data Visualization Interactive Network
*(*DVIN) was developed for the Aragats Space Environmental Center
(ASEC*)* in Armenia. This project won a UN World Summit on Information
Society award in Geneva in 2003, and the All-Armenia Information Society
award in 2005. He also has served as a lecturer for CERN’s post-graduate
physics school, an annual event organized by the CERN international
physics research center on the French-Swiss border.
Prof. Chilingarian has authored approximately 300 scientific
publications and is currently Armenia’s representative to the Commission
for Space Research, and is the International Heliophysical Year – 2007
spokesperson for Armenia’s ANI and ASEC collaborations.
PHYSICS INSTITUTE FOCUSES ON KEY AREAS OF SCIENCE
Under Chilingarian’s leadership YerPhI’s focus will continue on
theoretical physics, accelerator technology, and cosmic ray physics.
Focus will also be directed towards effective utilization of YerPhI’s
physical and intellectual assets to enhance revenue generation. Under
consideration are ways to support Armenia’s scientific community, and to
develop partnerships for commercialization of technologies that not only
will generate revenue, but will enhance Armenia’s social well being as
well. Projects being considered include the development of medical
imaging and radiopharmaceutical technologies for use both in Armenia and
in the region.
COSMIC RAY DIVISION (CRD)
Prof. Chilingarian will continue to lead CRD’s research and
international partnerships which funds a large part of CRD’s activities.
SEVAN (Space Environment Viewing and Analysis Network), a world-wide
network of new particle detectors for research in space weather and
solar physics, was developed at the CRD within the framework of the
International Heliophysical Year and the United Nations Basic Space
Science (UNBSS) program. UNBSS focuses on the deployment of arrays of
small inexpensive instruments around the world. Many of the key
developers are young scientists and engineers who were trained at the
CRD and supported in part by Diaspora funding. Installation of the first
SEVAN detectors in Croatia and Bulgaria in December 2008 was performed
by young CRD experts. The number of countries interested in
participating in this project is growing rapidly. The SEVAN detectors
are designed and manufactured in Armenia, and financed by international
sources. The CRD and Prof. Chilingarian are the technical leads for the
international SEVAN project.
More information on the CRD can be found at .
Information on the Yerevan Physics Institute can be found at
.