On 20 March 2026 the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia, Zhanna Andreasyan, and the Governor (Marzpet) of Shirak, Davit Arushanyan, visited the institute in Gyumri to see its work and achievements. They were joined by schoolchildren from different schools of the Shirak region: bringing young people into science is one of the minister’s priorities.
Director Jon Karapetyan guided the guests through the institute, from its history to the instruments that watch Armenia’s earthquakes today.
Where it all began
The tour started in the memorial room of Academician A. G. Nazarov, the founder of the institute. Old seismographs and recorders stand next to photographs of the 1988 Spitak earthquake and the original model of the institute’s laboratory building.
The CHARNET data centre
In the Armenian–Chinese CHARNET centre the guests saw how the network records earthquakes in real time: live seismograms from the stations, a map of the network and the system that locates events automatically. Next to it are the early warning terminal, GNSS equipment and an exhibition on the stations built together with the Institute of Geophysics of the China Earthquake Administration.
Science for the next generation
For the pupils the visit was a lesson in real science. They watched how a seismogram tells the story of an earthquake, saw the instruments the institute takes to the field and asked many questions. The minister spoke with the young people about science and their future.
The institute thanks Minister Zhanna Andreasyan and Governor Davit Arushanyan for their attention and is glad to welcome school groups who want to see how earthquakes are studied.