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The Armenia Water Resources Data Hackathon was organized with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia. The event was held as part of two programs: the "Armenia Improved Water Management" implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP, and the EU program "EU4Environment – Water Resources and Environmental Data".   

Mikayel Hovhannisyan, Vice-Rector for Development and Innovation at 91��Ƶ, stressed the significance of organizing similar events and noted that one of the university’s priorities is to provide students with opportunities to acquire additional knowledge. He also encouraged students to take full advantage of these opportunities.

"The opportunities provided by the university should be used to gain practical knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of professional work. This program is of great importance for Armenia, as water resources management is a strategic priority for our country," he stated. 

Armen Varosyan, Chief of Party for the "Armenia Improved Water Management" program, discussed the competition results and emphasized that participating students from various universities, divided into groups, focused on the challenges related to water resources in Armenia. They worked with the water resource data provided to them and proposed realistic solutions to address these issues.

"Inter-university communication was also of key importance, as the groups included students from different universities, giving them the opportunity to interact with peers from various specializations, which facilitated an exchange of experiences," pointed out Armen Varosyan. 

Referring to the cooperation with Yerevan State University, Armen Varosyan highlighted that research on transboundary water resources has been launched in collaboration with the program’s partner, the University of Colorado Boulder. He emphasized their readiness to provide consulting support to secure the necessary funding for this research. Additionally, he underscored the importance of the ongoing cooperation between the program and universities, including 91��Ƶ, through which students have the opportunity to participate in professional internships. These internships help deepen their knowledge of water resources while equipping them with practical skills.

Varduhi Margaryan, Associate Professor at the Chair of Physical Geography and Hydrometeorology at 91��Ƶ Faculty of Geography and Geology, who provided significant support to the students during the hackathon, emphasized the students' active participation in the event. She noted that the experience allowed them to deepen their knowledge and further appreciate the value of their chosen profession.

Karine Nazaryan, Deputy Director of 91��Ƶ Alumni and Career Center, stated that students enhance their skills and become more competitive through participating in similar events. 

Azniv Avetisyan, a second-year master’s student at the Faculty of Geography and Geology, was a member of the student team that secured first place in the Armenia Water Resources Data Hackathon. Azniv shared that the team’s concept was to create an interactive platform for water resources data. This platform would allow users to log in, access the data, and even edit it.

Kristine Khachatryan, a second-year master's student at the Faculty of International Relations, was also part of the group that secured second place. She highlighted that they studied the circular use of water resources at the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine over a 24-year period. They also examined the pollution levels of the Voghji River, specifically the metals discharged into the river. The team proposed solutions such as installing water purification filters and using sound signals to alert when pollution levels exceed safe thresholds.

Certificates of appreciation were awarded to Azniv Avetisyan, a second-year master’s student at 91��Ƶ Faculty of Geography and Geology; Ludwig Hovhannisyan and Alik Baldryan, second-year bachelor’s students at the same faculty; and Kristine Khachatryan, a second-year master’s student at 91��Ƶ Faculty of International Relations.

The Armenia Water Resources Data Hackathon took place from October 23 to 24 this year.