BACKGROUND

The Environmental Research and Management Center (ERMC) was established in 1992 to serve as the environmental education and research organization of the American University of Armenia. The ERMC supports the educational program of the AUA by offering courses in Environmental Management, Environmental Economics, Risk Management, Environmental Law, and Conservation. In 1997, a chair for conservation was established after receiving a generous endowment. With the newly established chair, the AUA is planning to offer a certificate program in conservation and broaden its research capabilities.

MISSION AND OBJECTIVES

An important function of the ERMC is to promote environmental science and conservation. To fulfill this task, all AUA students are required to successfully complete an Environmental Management course before graduating. The research center provides the understanding and scientific information needed to recognize and mitigate adverse impacts to the environment and responds to requests for technical assistance from the local and international agencies working on environmental issues in the region.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

The ERMC's research activities include the study of wildlife, natural processes, and the results of human action. Research is being conducted in the fields of environmental engineering, geochemistry, biology, conservation, and wildlife management. Research results are disseminated among the Armenian scientific community, government, industry and university students. The research center provides the understanding and scientific information needed to recognize and mitigate adverse impacts to the environment. Research activities include: data collection, long term assessments, ecosystem analysis and conservation, predictive modeling, and research on the occurrence, distribution, transport, and the fate of contaminants in air, water, and soil.

The ERMC collaborates with local experts in the fields of chemical toxicology, geology, biology, conservation, and engineering from various institutes and universities in Yerevan. Additionally, the ERMC collaborates with environmental experts at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the University of Southern California.

PROJECTS

Research and taxonomy of the birds of Armenia has been conducted by ornithologists from the Institute of Zoology, Armenian National Academy of Sciences, Department of Biology, Muhlenburg College, United Kingdom, and Russia. A Field Guide to Birds of Armenia, was published in 1997 by the AUA which provides extensive information on bird descriptions, habitats, identification, behavior, nesting, and other characteristics. Research and field work on "Birds of Armenia" is continuing. Determination of trace element concentrations in aerosol and surface water samples is being undertaken in order to evaluate the extent and degree of contamination, and to model the fate of contaminants in the region. The sources of contamination are being traced by measuring lead isotopic ratios, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry at the University of California at Santa Cruz. This is the first ever investigation in Armenia using trace-metal-clean techniques. These data will increase our understanding of global geochemical cycling of trace elements, as well as aid in determining the regional environmental impact and the public health risk of historic and contemporary industrial emissions.

Geographic Information System .

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please contact

Robert Kurkjian, Director, ERMC

American University of Armenia Environmental Research and Management Center 40 Marshal Bagramian Street, Yerevan, 375019, Republic of Armenia