Theme: Bridges in Action.

TEDxYSMU is operated under license from TED. It's driven by volunteers and supported by Yerevan State Medical University. The main goal of the TEDxYSMU is to organize several annual TEDxYSMU events and create a movement around ‘ideas worth spreading’. In doing so, we will try to present multiple issues and diversity of voices from many disciplines by carefully prepared talks, demonstrations and performances, all of which are idea-focused, and cover a wide range of subjects.

YSMU
Koryun 2
Yerevan, Erevan, 0052
Armenia

Arevik Hambardzumyan

Businesswoman

Arevik Hambardzumyan is one of the famous businesswomen in Armenia. She is a General Director of The Loft. The Loft is a multi-functional platform designated for self-sustained and healthy lifestyle, self-development and leisure. The center encourages exchanges of ideas, helps deliver diverse projects and fosters individual growth. Therefore, Arevik is one of the leading characters in Armenia who inspires Armenian youth to think differently and make changes.

Dr. Armen Orujyan

Architect of Innovation Ecosystems

Armen Orujyan, PhD, is the CEO of the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST). Dr. Orujyan is a highly successful entrepreneur and innovator who is the Founder and CEO of Athgo, one of the world’s leading entrepreneurial platforms. He is dedicated to enriching the lives of young people around the world, and his 20 years of experience has served as a building block of his popular Four-Pillars of Success. He has received a number of titles throughout his career including being named a UN e-Leader for ICT and Youth as well as being selected twice as one of top under-40 young leaders by Asia Society. Dr. Orujyan further served as a Commissioner on the UN’s venerated Broadband Commission for Digital Development through 2015.

Dr. Mikayel Minasyants

Biophysicist

Dr. Minasyants is an educator and researcher who has been in the field of education for 5 years, out of which 3 years he has been in the field of international education. He's currently an instructor of “Biology”, “Environmental Systems & Societies” and “Theory of Knowledge” courses at UWCDilijan, where 213 students from 82 countries study internationally recognized pre-university program called “International Baccalaureate”.He's earned his PhD degree from YSU in field of molecular biophysics. He has more than a dozen scientific publications. Alongside to his academic career, he has been in the field of volunteering for 7 years.Mostly focusing on the topics of sustainable development and environmental conservation and education. He's founded a social and educational program “Science with Kids” for the kids of middle schools of Dilijan which has been operating for more than 2 years already and it has played an important role in the integration process of UWCD to Dilijan’s community.

Dr. Narine Sarvazyan

Medical Innovator

Narine Sarvazyan is a professor of cardiovascular physiology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Her work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the American Heart Association. She received a number of prestigious awards, including the Established Investigator Award from the American Heart Association and the Distinguished Teacher Award from the GW School of Medicine. Her research aims to better understand the mechanisms behind cardiac arrhythmia and new imaging techniques to treat them. Other directions include the development of stem cell sources with improved immunological compatibility and creation of rhythmically contracting cuffs of heart muscle cells that surround vessels of choice to help propel biological fluids.

Nazareth Seferian

CSR and Social Entrepreneurship Consultant

Nazareth Seferian is an Sustainability and Social Responsibility (SSR) International Certified Professional and has more than 9 years of experience in Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability as well as Social Entrepreneurship. He is a co-founder of CSR Armenia, a non-profit organization focused on improving the perception and understanding of responsible business practices and holds a Post-Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business from the University of Cambridge. He has two children and speaks five languages, but hopes that both those numbers will grow!

Satenik Chookaszian

Lecturer

Satenik Chookaszian, has over ten years of experience in research and teaching Art history at UNESCO Chair of Armenian Art History. She has studied at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, later published papers and delivered speeches in various seminars and workshops held in different countries, including USA, Germany, Russia, Poland, Italy, Tunisia, Turkey and Greece. In 2015 she has got her Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Arts. Dr. Chookaszian has published many articles in different journals of Armenia and Lebanon on manuscript illumination of the Cilician Kingdom of Armenia and relations to the Art of the Mediterranean World. Her articles on Armenian painters were published in Saur Allgemeines Kunstlerlexikon (Munchen-Leipzig, Germany).