Notre Dame helps bring the first high-resolution transmission electron microscope to Armenia

The University of Notre Dame’s Integrated Imaging Facility (NDIIF) has helped Armenia reach a historic milestone by supporting the acquisition and implementation of the country’s first-ever high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM).
This achievement marks a significant step forward for scientific research in Armenia. The new Talos F200i high-resolution TEM, now installed at the Institute for Physical Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia (IPR NAS), with funding from the Higher Education and Science Committee of Armenia, enables groundbreaking advances in materials science, nanotechnology, and biological research within the country.
NDIIF’s 15 years of expertise in electron microscopy proved invaluable throughout the project. The facility provided critical support by establishing connections with major vendors in the electron microscopy market and assisting in the selection of an optimal TEM to address the specific scientific challenges faced by Armenian researchers. The NDIIF team then aided in price and warranty negotiations and coordinated the delivery and installation of the TEM in Armenia.
The effort was led by Alexander Mukasyan, a research professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the director of the Advanced Electron Microscopy Core at NDIIF. Mukasyan said, “We were honored to support the effort to bring Armenia its first high-resolution TEM. We’ve also been delighted to help in the next step—developing local expertise to fully leverage this technology.”

Dr. Astghik Kuzanyan, a researcher at IPR NAS’s Materials Science Laboratory, underwent comprehensive training at the NDIIF. This hands-on experience, made possible by NDIIF’s ownership of an identical model of the TEM, equips Kuzanyan with the skills to independently operate the microscope and train other scientists in Armenia.
Dr. Kuzanyan’s was the first in a planned series of visits and collaborations. Tatyana Orlova, the NDIIF’s electron microscopy specialist, will help guide the acquisition and installation of Armenia’s first Dual Beam NANOlab, an instrument that will complement the TEM. Additionally, Dr. Maksym Zhukovskyi, program director for the NDIIF’s TEM program, is scheduled to travel to Armenia to address operational questions and provide further technical assistance.
Kuzanyan expressed her appreciation for NDIIF’s support. “Thank you, Notre Dame and NDIIF, for this opportunity to train and collaborate,” she said. “Your expertise will help me operate our new TEM and contribute to advancing science in Armenia. I look forward to continuing this partnership.”
NDIIF’s engagement with Armenian scientists speaks to the University’s commitment to international engagement. Notre Dame’s expanding set of global research collaborations currently includes over 170 active externally funded research projects in over 60 countries around the world.
To learn more about the NDIIF’s capabilities and ongoing research projects, please visit the Integrated Imaging Facility's website.
Contact:
Brett Beasley / Research Content Strategy Program Director
Notre Dame Research / University of Notre Dame
bbeasle1@nd.edu / +1 574-631-8183
research.nd.edu / @UNDResearch
About Notre Dame Research:
The University of Notre Dame is a private research and teaching university inspired by its Catholic mission. Located in South Bend, Indiana, its researchers are advancing human understanding through research, scholarship, education, and creative endeavor in order to be a repository for knowledge and a powerful means for doing good in the world. For more information, please see research.nd.edu or @UNDResearch.
Latest Research
- Notre Dame researchers advance encryption and high-performance microelectronics technologiesResearchers at the University of Notre Dame have received new funding through the Silicon Crossroads Microelectronic Commons (SCMC) Hub as a part of the CHIPS and Science Act. In the fall of 2024, the White House announced the initial round of technical projects through the Microelectronic Commons…
- Notre Dame celebrates Black History MonthBlack History Month, observed annually in the United States during the month of February, provides an opportunity to reflect on the achievements, experiences and heritage of Black Americans. The University of Notre Dame will celebrate Black History Month with a variety of activities and resources.
- Nanovic Sustainability Fellowship selects two students to carry out environmental research during their semester abroad in Ireland…
- Galilee Immersion Program: Exposing First-Year Law Students to the Impact of Public Interest LawThe Galilee Immersion Program, a cornerstone experience for first-year law students at Notre Dame Law School, exemplifies the Law School’s commitment to educating "a different kind of lawyer." Established in 1981, the program…
- Three Arts & Letters faculty recognized for influential educational practice and policy…
- University of Notre Dame and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile dual PhD program welcomes all disciplinesBuilding on a long history of partnership, the University of Notre Dame and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile have announced the expansion of their dual Ph.D. program. Previously available to engineering students, the program now welcomes candidates from all academic disciplines, reflecting the universities’ shared vision for international collaboration and promoting academic innovation.