PRESS RELEASE – Two Endowed Named Professorships Announced at AUA

YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) is proud to announce two Endowed Named Professorships reflecting the University’s commitment to excellence in research for the benefit of society. The Endowed Named Professorship Program seeks to attract world-class scholars to advance disciplinary and transdisciplinary research at the University.

The ultimate goal of the Endowed Named Professorship Program is to have one to two Endowed Named Professorships in each AUA college. The first two recently established are the William Frazer Professorship and the C. Judson King Professorship, both of which were endowed by AUA Trustee and longtime benefactor Edward Avedisian.

The William Frazer Endowed Professorship was created in honor of Professor William Frazer, University of California (UC) Senior Vice President Emeritus, Academic Affairs, and Professor Emeritus, UC Berkeley Department of Physics. Dr. Frazer has served as Chairman of the Board of the AUA Corporation (AUAC), UC Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, Acting Provost of UC San Diego’s Third College, and research scientist at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey.

The C. Judson King Endowed Professorship was created in honor of Professor C. Judson King, UC Provost and Senior Vice President Emeritus, and Professor Emeritus, UC Berkeley Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Dr. King has served as Chairman of the AUAC Board of Trustees. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and served as Director of the Center for Studies in Higher Education of UC Berkeley.

An AUA endowment may support a part of the salary or costs directly related to the professorship research activities, such as a graduate assistant stipend or postdoctoral fellowship, administrative assistance, research instrumentation, travel, etc. Endowed Named Professors will be assigned to an AUA college where they are encouraged to produce high-quality research.

Appointment to an Endowed Named Professorship is the highest academic honor at AUA, which grants appointees the opportunity to make significant contributions to their respective research fields and reach their academic aspirations. The appointment also gives the Endowed Named Professor the opportunity to fulfill the expressed intentions of the benefactor aimed at the continued and enhanced development of the university.

Aside from these endowments, Avedisian has fully funded the AUA Zvart Avedisian Onanian Center for Health Services Research and Development (CHSR) and the Paul Avedisian Center for Business Research and Development (CBRD). Additionally, he was the principal benefactor of the AUA Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB). In 2017, Avedisian was bestowed the inaugural AUA Presidential Commendation award.

Scholars interested in the C. Judson King Endowed Professorship and William Frazer Endowed Professorship are invited to apply 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, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.