“I am inspired by nature and strive to make innovations to solve global challenges. Nature and security of people make me find new platforms for leading technological solutions”.

Ashok Vaseashta

Professor of New Jersey University Ashok Vaseashta’s cooperation with the Polytechnic University has a long history. They have implemented research activities with NPUA Professor Surik Khudaverdyan. Photonics was at the core of this cooperation. After the first joint work, Professor Vaseashta periodically could be seen at the engineering institution of Armenia, the Polytechnic University.

Professor Vaseashta, you are once again welcome at the Polytechnic University. At the crossroads of your scientific route, you have come to the National Polytechnic University of Armenia quite often. I know that you were awarded NPUA Gold Medal.

I am grateful for this meeting. I am definitely successful and grateful to the university that appreciated my works and I was awarded the Polytechnic University Gold Medal.

I will not ask how many times you have been at the Polytechnic University as I am sure it was many times. Within the frames of which program have you visited us this time and which activities should we expect?

I definitely do not remember the number of my visits. Professor Khudaverdyan is implementing a project with the ministry and I assist them by my consultations. This is an excellent opportunity to work together and publish joint papers. Our joint activities are endless and new papers are to be published.

Which joint activities have you had with the Polytechnic University?

Majority of our joint research was in photonics such as the correlation of light and devices, and the operation of light devices in general. We currently cooperate on an interesting issue that will be applicable in smart agriculture. Thus, we have about 10 joint publications.

I know that you have met Professor in Photonics Hovik Baghdasaryan.

Exactly. I also cooperate with RA NAS. We try to find out how to apply photonics devices in the sphere of water. Therefore, I cooperate with RA NAS and your university and I am extremely grateful for it.

It is evident that your research is vast, such as nano technologies, photonics and water resources. How do you combine it all?

Currently, science is not unilateral: water is something we all consume and as you know, water resources run out. We should find new devices and apply them that will help us find litter in the water and clean that to provide people with water. Professor Gevorgyan currently works on designing such a device. He has numerous publications on this topic, on how to find litter in water and eliminate it. Therefore we try to help the society.

You pointed out that during your visit you will consult the research project. Can you give us some details?

The program will last three years and this is the first year of this project and we should envisage our future actions. We envisaged besides this project to discuss possibilities to cooperate in other programs, for example within the frames of Horizon Europe program.

You are a professor at different European universities as well and you are involved in different projects.

I am professor at Transylvania University of Brasov. After this visit, I will return to Brasov to conduct my research. I am in Brasov 2 or 3 days a month to conduct my research. These researches are conducted with the assistance of the European Union. Rector of Brasov University highly encourages and is open to carry out research in any sphere. So we will present Horizon Europe program and we are actively engaged in Erasmus+ programs. Therefore, we can closely cooperate with Brasov University within the frames of Erasmus+ programs. My visit also targets to find some cooperation opportunities and make some arrangements.

If Transylvania University of Brasov applies within the frames of Erasmus+ program as a coordinator, can we consider the opportunities for the participation of our university as a partner country and university?

Definitely you can. I can assist you in it as I would like to do that. I always visit your university with pleasure and meet my Armenian colleagues.

Do you often visit? Has the Polytechnic University changed?

Changes are visible. The Exterior of the Engineering University has become more beautiful. I certainly notice changes in its content as well. Research projects have increased. Covid has impeded our mobility and I am extremely happy to restart our joint activities and cooperation. I am happy to cooperate with your university and RA NAS in different directions. It is interesting that our cooperation is not unilateral and it gives us possibilities for other ways of cooperation, how some spheres are united and something new emerges. I am delighted by the Polytechnic University.

Professor, how can we motivate the youth to be inspired by science? Science is a priority especially for countries in conflict.

This is an excellent question as the youth, young researchers are our future. We should definitely contribute to it by engaging the society, young people from different universities and showing them what is being done. We can possibly organize small-scale camps for them where the academic staff of the university will show them what is being done and how. I was engaged many times in such events in other universities. Transylvania University of Brasov organizes such camps in summer that unites the youth and where young specialists lecture for them. This is some sort of a festival that activates the inclusion of the student population in science. I know that the Polytechnic University is leader in it and it periodically organizes scientific meetings. So you are on the right way.

How can science and technological world communicate?

This is an interesting question. It has bothered me all the time. As a rule, universities keep silence concerning this matter. They prefer not to cooperate. In case of the Polytechnic University, everything is different as you create and offer. I have worked in different universities where many researchers while knowing that their offer competes with the offer of other organization in the same sphere, prefer to keep silence. Your advantages in this context are evident. Currently, in the world, when we have access to data, we should try to unite different ideas to create something new. Instead of silence we should create opportunities when people can communicate with each other and see what novelty they can create. I participated in events organized in different universities when different beneficiaries discuss scientific problems and try to find something in common. This is the way innovations emerge.

I am grateful to you professor for this interview. We will talk about the topics not discussed today during your next visit.

I am grateful for your warm welcome, care and assistance.