It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of world-renowned astrophysicist, educator, philanthropist and dear friend and partner to FAR, Dr. Yervant Terzian. He was 80 years old.
A man of incredible integrity and limitless curiosity, Dr. Terzian made an enormous contribution to humanity through his work, which advanced the body of knowledge about our universe.
In addition to his numerous activities in the international field, he also strongly supported the development of astronomy and science in Armenia.
He founded FAR’s Armenian National Science and Education Fund (ANSEF), a project with a focused mission of perpetuating Armenia’s tradition of excellence in research and scholarship. For the last 20 years ANSEF has supported thousands of Armenian scientists through research assistance. For many of them, especially for young scientists, ANSEF awards have often been their springboard to world-class scientific achievements.
Dr. Terzian’s personal investment in maintaining the integrity of Armenia’s scientific, technological and scholarly research communities through ANSEF was evident. “I hope you feel as proud of these fellow Armenians as I do,” he would often say.
“Yervant was a consummate scientist, educator, humanist and a cherished friend. He left an indelible memory upon all whose lives he touched. His immeasurable contribution to the successes of ANSEF could not be stressed enough,” said Dr. Tavit Najarian, the first Chairman of ANSEF’s Board of Trustees.
“Yervant’s contagious energy and optimism were sources by his deep love for science, humanity and his Greek and Armenian roots. We feel fortunate to have worked with him as we commit to carry on his legacy at ANSEF. As the astrophysics community mourns a central figure, we will miss him as a friend, a leader, and a source of immense inspiration. We feel comfort in knowing that his soul is now at rest amongst the heavenly stars he spent a lifetime studying,” Dr. Terzian’s longtime ANSEF Research Council members Ashot Papoyan, Lilit Yeghiazarian and Vatche Sahakian said in a statement to FAR. All of them stated that Dr. Terzian’s legacy of supporting cutting-edge scientific research in Armenia through ANSEF will continue.
A great mentor and humanitarian, Dr. Terzian will be sorely missed by everyone at FAR and ANSEF, and his legacy will carry on.
Read more about Dr. Terzian’s life and accomplishments in his obituary.