Teaching Activities of A. M. Mickaelian

 

Yerevan State University (YSU)

I have been teaching several courses at the YSU Department of Physics, Chair of Astrophysics (at present, Chair of General Physics and Astrophysics) since 2001:

 

·        “Large-Scale Structure of the Universe and Cosmology”, 2nd year graduate (M.Sc.) students (since 2001)

·        “Astronomical Surveys, Databases and Virtual Observatories”, 4th year undergraduate (B.Sc.) students (2005-2006)

·        “Extragalactic Astronomy”, 1st year graduate (M.Sc.) students (2007-2008)

·        “Modern Problems of Observational Astrophysics”, 1st year graduate (M.Sc.) students (2007-2008)

 

Supervision of students at YSU and BAO

I have been the supervisor of B.Sc. and M.Sc. students at the YSU, Ph.D. students and young astronomers at BAO:

 

·        Lilit Hovhannisyan: “Spectral study of IRAS galaxies” (M.Sc. diploma thesis at YSU, 2002)

·        Gevorg Grigoryan: “Infrared properties of Kazarian galaxies” (B.Sc. diploma thesis at YSU, 2006)

·        Satenik Ghazaryan: “Accurate absolute magnitudes of bright quasars” (B.Sc. Course work at YSU, 2006)

·        Lena Sargsyan: “Search for new bright QSOs on the basis of the DFBS” (M.Sc. diploma thesis at YSU, 2007)

·        Lusine Sargsyan: “Study of IRAS and SST galaxies” (Ph.D. thesis at BAO, 2010)

·        Gohar Harutyunyan: “Classification of BIG objects based on SDSS spectra” (M.Sc. diploma thesis at YSU, 2012)

·        Parandzem Sinamyan: “Studies of the FBS Blue Stellar Objects” (Ph.D. thesis at BAO, not finished)

·        Hayk Abrahamyan: “Studies of radio and optical properties of AGN” (Ph.D. thesis at BAO, expected 2020)

·        Gurgen Paronyan: “Studies of X-ray properties of AGN” (Ph.D. thesis at BAO, expected 2021)

·        Gor Mikayelyan: “IR studies of active galaxies” (Ph.D. thesis at BAO, expected 2022)

 

·        supervision of research work (since 1996): Susanna Hakopian and Smbat Balayan (IR and X-ray sources, 1996-2002), Parandzem Sinamyan (FBS BSOs, 2004-2013), Lusine Sargsyan (IR sources, DFBS, 2002-2012), Lilit Hovhannisyan (IR and X-ray sources, 2001-2008), Ia Kochiashvili (Georgia; DFBS and VOs, 2006-2008), Hayk Abrahamyan (radio properties of AGN, since 2010), Gurgen Paronyan (X-ray properties of AGN, since 2010), Gohar Harutyunyan (IR studies of active galaxies, 2011-2013), Gor Mikayelyan (IR studies of active galaxies, since 2017)

 

Byurakan Summer Schools

I have been the organizer of almost all summer schools held in Byurakan (since 1995). We have now established series of Byurakan International Summer Schools (BISS), Regional Summer Schools (RSS) and Byurakan Summer Schools (BSS) for Yerevan State University (YSU) Department of Physics students. They have been extremely successful both for Armenian and for dozens of foreign students. Altogether, 6 international, 1 regional and 4 local schools have been organized, as well as a Conference of Young Astronomers:

 

·        1st Byurakan Summer School (1BSS) for YSU students and Astronomical Olympiad participants (Nor Amberd, Aug 1995)

·        2nd Byurakan Summer School (2BSS) for YSU students (Aug 2005)

·        First Byurakan International Summer School (1BISS) “Observational Astrophysics” (Aug-Sep 2006), dedicated to the 60th anniversary of BAO

·        Second Byurakan International Summer School (2BISS) “Practical Astrophysics” (Sep 2008), dedicated to V.A. Ambartsumian’s 100th anniversary

·        3rd Byurakan Summer School (3BSS) for YSU students (July 2009)

·        Third Byurakan International Summer School (3BISS) combined with the IAU International School for Young Astronomers (ISYA-2010) (Sep-Oct 2010)

·        Conference of Young Astronomers of CIS countries “50 years of Cosmic Era: Real and Virtual Studies of the Sky” (Nov 2011), dedicated to 50th anniversary of Gagarin’s flight into space

·        Fourth Byurakan International Summer School (4BISS) (Sep 2012), dedicated to Anania Shirakatsi’s 1400th anniversary

·        4th Byurakan Summer School (4BSS) and IAU S304 training courses (Aug 2013)

·        Fifth Byurakan International Summer School (5BISS) (Sep 2016), dedicated to the 70th anniversary of BAO

·        Sixth Byurakan International Summer School (6BISS) (Sep 2018), dedicated to V.A. Ambartsumian’s 110th anniversary

·        Regional Summer School on Space Sciences and Technologies (RSS-SST) (Sep 2019)

 

More than 200 students from 32 countries and more than 50 lecturers from 23 countries participated in BISS and the Conference of Young Astronomers. I succeeded to invite a number of outstanding scientists as lecturers, such as:

 

Jayant Narlikar (India), Igor Novikov (Russia), Jaan Einasto (Estonia), Daniel Weedman (USA), Yervant Terzian (USA), Daniel Kunth (France), Dieter Engels (Germany), Robert Williams (USA), Massimo Turatto (Italy), Richard Lovelace (USA), Lev Titarchuk (USA), Richard de Grijs (Australia), Michel Dennefeld (France), Jean-Pierre de Greve (Belgium), Gary Mamon (France), Gennady Bisnovati-Kogan (Russia), Lutz Wisotzki (Germany), Nikolai Samus (Russia), George Alecian (France), Garik Israelian (Spain), Philippe Prugniel (France), and others.

 

I have also given many lectures at these schools:

 

·        “Stars and Nebulae” (1995)

·        “Byurakan Surveys” (1995)

·        “Modern Astronomy: Trends and Perspectives” (2005)

·        “Research Projects in the Byurakan Observatory” (2005)

·        “Large Astronomical Surveys and Projects” (2006)

·        “Introductory Lecture” (2008)

·        “Viktor Ambartsumian’s Impact on Astronomy” (2008)

·        “Large astronomical surveys, databases and Virtual Observatories” (2008)

·        “The VLT/VLTI Instrumentation” (2008)

·        “The Digitized First Byurakan Survey (DFBS) and its applications” (2008)

·        “Present Research Projects of the Byurakan Observatory” (2009)

·        “Modern Problems of Astronomy” (2009)

·        “Instruments of Modern Astronomy” (2009)

·        “Large Astronomical Surveys, Databases, and Archives” (2010)

·        “Virtual Observatories” (2010)

·        “Large-area astronomical Surveys and Catalogs” (2011)

·        “Astronomical Archives, Databases and Virtual Observatories” (2011)

·        “Astronomical Surveys, Catalogs, Archives, Databases and VOs” (2012)

·        “Our Understanding of the Universe” (2013)

·        “Astronomer’s Tools” (2013)

·        and many others in 2016-2019

 

A reference webpage for all major international summer/winter schools in the world have been created at ArAS webpage.

 

School Astronomical Olympiads

I was one of the initiators to establish School Astronomical Olympiads in Armenia. We succeeded to do so in 1995. Later, since 1999, Astronomical Olympiads were included in the program of Armenian Ministry of Education and Science. I have been a member of Jury of all Olympiads since 1999 and was the Chair of Jury in 1995 and 2000. Armenian National Astronomical Olympiads also are qualifying for International Astronomical Olympiads (IAO) and International Olympiads of Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), where Armenian representatives achieved many medals.

 

Byurakan Science Camp (BSC)

In 2014, together with Sona Farmanyan, for the first time we organized Byurakan Science Camp for 12-15 year school pupils interested in science and particularly in astronomy. At present it is a regular annual series. Each time, we gather some 25-30 participants from Armenia and Armenian diaspora, as well as students assisting in organization. Lectures, practical exercises, observations, astronomical films, excursions, intellectual games, sports and leisure were included in the program.

 

GTTP Ambassador to Armenia

In frame of Galileo Teachers Training Program (GTTP), since 2009 I am the Galileo Ambassador to Armenia. We have organized a GTTP training course in Aug 2010 in Byurakan. In 2011-2019, we have awarded 15 GTTP certificates to Armenian astronomy teachers.