BOSTON — The Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST), announced that it raised $500,000 at an event held at the Museum of Science in Boston on March 2. The event was part of FAST’s Advance Armenia Global Campaign, which aims to support strengthening science and technology programs in Armenia.
Thanks to FAST’s supporters and partners, Advance Armenia’s Boston Reception was a tremendous success. The funds raised will help scale FAST’s ADVANCE Research Grants program, which has facilitated the formation of research teams in Armenia led by international principal investigators. Additionally, FAST will contribute to the launch of the Generation AI high school program – an educational and career pipeline for AI researchers starting at the high school level.
Boston host committee Co-Chairs Dr. Avak Kahvejian and Dr. Raffi Afeyan opened and led the evening, which included remarks by FAST’s Co-Founder, Dr. Noubar Afeyan, and FAST’s Chair of the Board of Advisors, Dr. Mary Papazian. The speakers emphasized the importance of scientific advancement in Armenia and the important symbolism in engaging the Boston community – known as a hub of innovation – in this mission.
FAST’s Founding CEO, Dr. Armen Orujyan, discussed Armenia’s scientific ecosystem and path forward, and shared FAST success stories. The keynote speaker of the evening was Dr. Daron Acemoglu, an Institute Professor at MIT, elected fellow of several prominent educational institutions worldwide, winner of numerous international awards, and author of five books, including Why Nations Fail: Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Dr. Acemoglu focused his talk on how digital technologies and artificial intelligence are rapidly transforming communication, decision-making, and work.
About FAST
Established in 2017, the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) has implemented 29 programs impacting over 9,000 beneficiaries. Focusing on the core science ecosystem drivers of Education, Research, and Commercialization, FAST architects novel technology-driven innovation platforms that help shape Armenia’s future as a modern, dynamic, and innovative country. See previous Mirror-Spectator coverage such as: CEO Orujyan Raising Awareness about FAST in US – The Armenian Mirror-Spectator (mirrorspectator.com) and CEO Orujyan Raising Awareness about FAST in US – The Armenian Mirror-Spectator (mirrorspectator.com)
