LOS ANGELES—Trailblazers in science and technology shared their pioneering research with a packed audience on April 5 at “On the Cutting Edge of Science and Tech: CA and Armenia Together,” a conference by the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies and the Armenian Society of Fellows (ASOF).
The conference featured keynote lectures from three renowned scientists in artificial intelligence, microbiology, and astrophysics, and highlighted collaborations between the California Armenian diaspora and Republic of Armenia in advancing global innovation. The program also explored the university’s role in addressing urgent challenges through science and technology.
To open the event, Dr. Shushan Karapetian, Director of the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, reflected on how the Institute’s mission connects to thebroader objectivesof the conference.
“The processes that produce some of the groundbreaking Armenian-American scientists and tech innovators you will hear from today and the driving forces that lead them to collaborate, invest, and engage with Armenia are precisely at the heart of our Institute’s mandate for studying the contemporary Armenian experience––one that is simultaneously local, national, and transnational,” Karapetian said.
In welcome remarks, former California State Senator Anthony Portantino highlighted key achievements in fostering collaboration between Armenia and the Golden State, emphasizing the tremendous future potential of such partnerships.
In a video address, California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis described the “deep and enduring bond” between California and Armenia, particularly through education. She celebrated the conference as an example of “how knowledge can cross borders to benefit us all.”
Sarkis Mazmanian, Luis and Nelly Soux Professor of Microbiology in the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, delivered a keynote lecture titled “The Gut Microbiome as a Contributor and Therapeutic Target for Parkinson’s Disease.” Emphasizing the importance of scientific research, Mazmanian stated, “scientific research is doing what it can to help humanity, help people, provide therapies for diseases that are impacting people, and hopefully bring them a better quality of life.”
Vahe Petrosian, Professor of Physics and Applied Physics and Chairman of the Astronomy Program at Stanford University, delivered a keynote lecture titled “Gravitational Lensing: Measuring the Universe the Way Einstein Said Could Not Be Done.” Describing the significance of his lecture topic, Petrosian said gravitational lensing can “help answer the many questions about the universe.”
Armen Aghajanyan, Co-Founder & CEO of Perceptron AI, delivered the final keynote lecture titled “The Intelligence Arbitrage.” “If there’s alignment on technical vision, collaboration comes naturally,” said Aghajanyan, reflecting on opportunities for partnerships with Armenia in the tech sector, of which AI presents a major area of interest. “Collaboration is functionally a problem of alignment and that’s what needs to be solved.”
In a panel discussion titled “Outside the Ivory Tower: Bringing University Expertise to the World,” Dean of USC Viterbi School of Engineering Yannis Yortsos, Executive Director of USC Dornsife’s Public Exchange Kate Weber, and Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at Keck School of Medicine of USC Dr. Thomas Lee discussed the role of the university in addressing today’s most urgent challenges through science and technology.
Dean Yortsos shared his “impact-first” philosophy in setting priorities for the Viterbi School of Engineering, explaining how he works backward from goals to design projects for maximum results.
In a second panel discussion titled “Beyond Words: Armenia-Diaspora Networks in Action,” aerospace engineer and founder of the ARPA Institute (Analysis Research & Planning for Armenia) Dr. Hagop Panossian, Chief Technologist and Fellow at Synopsys Dr. Yervant Zorian, keynote lecturer Armen Aghajanyan, and Frank M. Freimann Professor of Physics at the University of Notre Dame, Ani Aprahamian, discussed how robust transnational networks between the California Armenian diaspora and Armenia have contributed to advancing innovation.
The conference was attended by various elected officials, including California State Assemblymembers Mike Gipson and José Luis Solache, and representatives of the offices of Assemblymember John Harabedian, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, and Los Angeles City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky. Representatives of the Armenian government, including High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan and Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles Karen Israyelyan, also participated.
In a closed-door session following the program, members of the political delegation and ASOF leadership discussed potential future projects, addressed challenges faced by scientists working across borders, and outlined visions for deeper cooperation. The session focused on enhancing collaboration and building sustainable, long-term partnerships between researchers in California and Armenia.
The first-of-its-kind conference reflected the Institute’s commitment to fostering collaboration with colleagues across disciplines, demonstrating the relevance and connectivity of Armenian Studies to diverse fields.
“ASOF is grateful to the team at the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies for organizing a wonderful and well-attended event. We believe the conference will be a first step in fostering new collaborations between California and Armenia in education, sciences, and technology,” said Vatche Sahakian, Executive Director of ASOF and Burton Bettingen Professor in Theoretical Physics at Harvey Mudd College. “We look forward to working with the Institute again through future outreach events, as well as through projects in the Humanities and Social Sciences.”
The USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies is a hub of research and learning at USC that studies the contemporary Armenian diaspora and Republic of Armenia.
The Armenian Society of Fellows is an international network of scholars and experts that aims to help raise Armenia’s educational and research institutions to world-class levels, and to network them globally.
