Armenian mathematicians began forming an association during the short-lived First
Republic in the year 1920. The organiser of the first mathematical association, and its first president, was a professor of Yerevan State University, Ervand Kogbetlianz.
Kogbetlianz’s emigration to France slowed the activity of the association, until it was reinvigorated in the 1940s and 1950s by the academics Artashes Shahinyan, Mkhitar Jrbashyan and Sergey Mergelyan.
Following Armenia’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, a group of young mathematicians formalised the association into the Armenian Mathematical Union (AMU), registering it at the Ministry of Justice with elected members of the Council and an elected president of the Union.
Due to historical circumstances, the scientists related to the Mathematics in Armenia are scattered around the world. Some of them received vocational education outside the republic, but works here. Others, however, have grown as researchers in Armenia, but works in different countries. As well, a category of scientists exists, which were formed as mathematicians and worked outside of the republic, but are making their contribution to the development of our science. That was the reason why “Union” was chosen as a name for the establishing professional association.
The first congress after the dissolution of the USSR was held on May 18, 1991.
This was the time between the declaration of independence (August 23, 1990, as the first non-Baltic Soviet republics) and the collapse of the Soviet Union (December 1991).
Almost all mathematicians of the republic gathered in the Great Hall of the State University and discussed organizational and immediate problems.
The Charter of AMU was adopted and an administration was elected.
The President of the AMU became Prof. Alexander Talalyan, the dean of the Departement of Mathematics of YSU that time.
The members of the Council were elected:
Sergey Antonyan, Samvel Apresyan, Norayr Arakelian, Victor Arzumanian, Grigor Barsegian, Bagrat Batikyan, Gegham Gevorgyan, Samvel Dalalyan, Norayr Yengibaryan, Vanik Zakaryan, Alexander Talalyan, Sargis Hakobyan, Hrachik Hayrapetyan, Tigran Harutyunyan, Felix Harutyunyan, Haik Ghazaryan, Valeriy Martirosyan, Vardan Martirosyan, Yuri Movsisyan, Karen Yagjyan, Vladimir Yavryan, Boris Nahapetyan, Romen Shahbaghyan, Faizo Shamoyan, Shvayts Sahakyan, Sokrat Simonyan, Ashot Vagharshakyan, Victor Ohanyan.
The members of the Auditing committee:
Rafael Aramyan, Arthur E. Avetisyan, Robert Davtyan, Ashot Kakosyan, Hamlet Martirosyan, Yervand Mkrtchyan, Boris Sahakyan.
On May 24. two vice-Presidents and the Executive board (Administration) were elected from among the members of the Council:
Vice-presidents: Boris Nahapetyan, Gegham Gevorgyan.
Administration:
Victor Arzumanian (Secretary), Norayr Yengibaryan, Haik Ghazaryan,
Vardan Martirosyan, Romen Shahbaghyan, Victor Ohanyan (Treasurer).
This was the last session of the Council. Later the real guidance of AMU effected by the Administration. On the following Congresses the number of Council’s members were reduced, and the administrative functions were entrusted to the Executive board.
The Armenian Mathematical Union was officially registered by the Justice Ministry of RA on July 10, 1991.
Since 1993 AMU is a member of International Mathematical Union and a member of the
European Mathematical Society since 2016. It is also one of the twelve members of the Silkroad Mathematics Center (SMC) that was established in 2016 under the
auspices of the China Association for Science and Technology.
The following is a complete list of past congresses of AMU and elected presidents of the society.
- 1991, Alexander Talalyan
- 1994, Norayr Arakelian
- 1997, Ruben Ambartzumian
- 2001, Norayr Yengibaryan
- 2004, Hrachik Hayrapetyan
- 2011, Tigran Harutunyan
- 2017, Yuri Movsisyan
The list of current functionaries of AMU see here.