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Alen Gasparian Amirkhanian
Alen Gasparian Amirkhanian
Director of AUA Acopian Center for the Environment; Master's in City Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); BA in Philosophy and Psychology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
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Director of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment and Lecturer
AUA Acopian Center for the Environment
https://people.aua.am/team_member/alen-amirkhanian/
PAB 304W

ENV 101 Introduction to Environmental Sciences
ENV 202 Environmental Projects
ENV 211 Sustainable Cities
ENV 300 Natural Environment and Humans
ENV 330 Business and Environmental Sustainability

Office Hours: By appointment, PAB 304W

AUA Acopian Center for the Environment
Sustainable Cities
Circular Economy
Environmental Policy

My view: (Please briefly describe your view on the three concepts below)

"There are three essential questions to ask of education ... What should we continue doing? What should we abandon? What needs to be creatively invented afresh?" Reimagining our futures together: a new social contract for education (UNESCO 2021)
An indispensable tool for human progress has been our ability to organize knowledge and conduct systematic inquiries--conduct research. "Resolving the grand challenges and wicked problems of the Anthropocene[, however,] will require skillfully combining a broad range of knowledge and understandings—both scientific and non-scientific—of Earth systems and human societies." (Lawrence et. al 2022). No small feat though an existential imperative. 
Those of us working in the field of sustainability are blessed in that our efforts are directly related to human and community well being. Outreach and service is a unique chance to test the relevance of our work. It also allows us to see issues from multiple perspectives and discipline ourselves to watch, listen and learn.

Short Bio:

Alen Amirkhanian is the Director of the American University of Armenia’s (AUA) Acopian Center for the Environment, a position he has held since 2013. In 2014, he established AUA Center for Responsible Mining and is acting as its Interim Director. He teaches graduate and undergraduate environmental courses at AUA. Prior to AUA, he was Senior Vice President of Research at Michael Porter’s Initiative for a Competitive Inner City. He has consulted with the World Bank, UNDP, and the Brookings Institution on energy efficiency as well as economic and urban-growth issues. His current academic interests include urban environmental sustainability, “greening” the built environment, and circular economy esp. as it relates to “greening” cities. Alen holds a Masters in City Planning (’97) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning.

Publications:

Aprahamian, Vicken, Amirkhanian, A., Voskanyan, M., Movsisyan, H., Arakelyan, A., and Hayrapetyan, V. (2022) Mining Monitoring Toolkit: Community Guide to Environmental, Health, Social, Disaster Resilience, and Economic Aspects of Mining. AUA Center for Responsible Mining

Alpetyan, H., Nalbandyan, L., Geghamyan, O., Avetyan, N., Amirkhanian, A. (2020). A Report on Waste Governance in Armenia. Waste Governance in Armenia Project.

Amirkhanian, A. (Fall/Winter 2019). On Mining, which Way Armenia? American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia (AMCHAM).

Amirkhanian, A. (June 1, 2018). State Governance Failures in Mining and Lessons for Armenia’s Future (EVN Report)

Amirkhanian, A., Benohanian, N., editors (2018). Sustainable Operations and Systems: From Policies to Norms. Teaching Aid Material. MARUEEB Erasmus+ project.

Amirkhanian, A. (2018). Global Environmental Challenges and Opportunities. Environmental Education Training Modules and Training of Trainers, UNDP.

Amirkhanian, A. (2018). Armenia’s Environmental Challenges and Opportunities. Environmental Education Training Modules and Training of Trainers, UNDP.

Amirkhanian, A. (2018). Sustainable Consumption and Production (Focus on Production). Environmental Education Training Modules and Training of Trainers, UNDP.

Amirkhanian, A. (2018). Sustainable Consumption and Production (Focus on Consumption). Environmental Education Training Modules and Training of Trainers, UNDP.

Amirkhanian, A. (2018). Circular Economy. Eliminating Waste. Environmental Education Training Modules and Training of Trainers, UNDP.

Amirkhanian, A. (submitted 2016). EU Sector Note: Environmental Protection in Armenia.

Amirkhanian, A. (submitted 2016). EU Sector Note: Solid and Hazardous Waste in Armenia.

Amirkhanian, A. (submitted 2016). EU Sector Note: Water in Armenia.

Amirkhanian, A., Sekoyan T., Hambartsumyan R., & Hambarian, A. (2015). Green Architecture: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 1st ed. Yerevan, UNDP-GEF, 2015. 408. (Armenian and English)

Amirkhanian, A. (2015). Millennium Development Goals: National Progress Report. Armenia. MDG 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability. EV Consulting, 53-63.