Armenian President established in 2009 an international award after world famous astrophysicist Victor Hambardzumyan which for the first time will be handed this year. The award is handed once in two years. The prize is granted with the purpose of commemorating the name of the great astrophysicist and to foster the development of his scientific legacy. The fund of the prize, which is awarded biennially for prominent scientific achievements in astrophysics and adjoining fields, is 500,000 USD. And the committee of the award is headed by Radik Martirosyan, President of the Academy of Science. The committee also includes famous representatives of astrophysics. Yesterday, at the extraordinary general meeting of the National Academy of Armenia, which was attended by celebrated scientists from different countries, President Serzh Sargsyan presented the eminent Swiss astrophysicist Michel Mayor and members of his scientific team Garik Israelyan and Nuno Santos with the Academician Victor Hambardzumyan International Prize.
Despite the discovery of a big number of extra-galactic planets the origination of planets is not fully proven nowadays. The variety of these planets brings up many problems. During the past 10 years this scientific group has described the physical and chemical features of these planets. The planets, which have small star anomalies, conduce to the development of the understanding about the origination of planets. The efforts of this group of scientists have had a great investment in the models of origination of planets that currently exist. Yesterday the ceremony was organized in the hall of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia. The prizes were granted the scientists by President Serzh Sargsyan. Various scientists of astrophysics from all over the world attended this event. They had made speeches and praised the indispensable role of Hambardzumyan in astrophysics. They also praised the idea of the award by saying that it will further stimulate the development of astrophysics. Congratulating the awardees the President of Armenia said, “It is a great honor for me to grant the Victor Hambardzumyan award. This is a new phenomenon in our reality. I am happy that our Prize has found its first deserving laureates. I cordially congratulate them on this success and wish new scientific achievements. With this Prize, dear awardees, we not only recognize your achievements but also endeavor to bring wide public recognition to the discoveries which are of universal significance. These achievements will also be a great impetus for the development of the human civilization.” According to Serzh Sargsyan, the Prize named after Victor Hambardzumyan should foster science development and be worthy of the great talent and memory of the Armenian scientist. He assured that in perspective the Prize would become a great impetus for the development of astronomy in Armenia and science in general.
Good idea and bad implementation
The idea and imitative of Victor Hambardzumyan award initiated by President Serzh Sargsyan is a really good one and may become a great event not only for the scientific sector of Armenia but also gain international fame. The evidence of that was the visit of renowned scientists. They were very excited. They prepared speeches, which were hardly heard by 10 percent of the audience. And the speech of award winner Michel Mayor full of videos was not only being translated but was even not heard in the back rows. But was it worth granting this prize in such a provincial manner? There was not only air conditioning missing in the hall of the Academy of Sciences but also microphones worked very badly, the speeches of the international scientists were not being translated, due to which many people had to leave the ceremony. By the way, many others, despite their invitation letters, had to stand leaning on the walls and watch. We can surely say that a wedding of the son of some oligarch in Armenia is conducted in a better way than this important ceremony. This was not only important event for science but could also be a very good PR for the state. And finally it could be a very good PR for the leader of the country both within the country and outside. Perhaps President Serzh Sargsyan was feeling this too, who was trying to struggle the heat with a handkerchief.
By M. Margaryan