VISIT OF THE SCHOLAR FROM CENTRAL ASIAN MOUNTAIN NATION On May 25, 2012 Utah Valley University and the Utah International Mountain Forum hosted Professor Almaz Aldashev, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine. This guest from the Kyrgyz Republic, a small mountain nation in Central Asia, is an expert on the study of the adaptations of humans at high-altitude. He is also a specialist in mountain medicine and has participated in joint research on the topic with American scientists since 1987 as a part of SovietAmerican collaboration in cardiology and pulmonology. After the collapse of the USSR, Professor Aldashev spent two years as a visiting professor at the University of Colorado in Denver through an NIH grant. Currently he has several joint research projects with colleagues from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, and others. Aldashev visited Utah Valley University as a part of the ongoing cooperation between Central Asia and the Rocky Mountains to promote sustainable mountain development. He was also here as part of a project between the International University of Kyrgyzstan and the Sorenson Foundation of UVU on genetic research of the origin of ethnicities in Central Asia.
Dr. Almaz Aldashev ( C ) with Dr. David Connelly, Chair, History and political Science ( L ) and Dr. Roger Blomquist, Lecturer, History and Political Science ( R )
During his visit Dr. Aldashev made a presentation to UVU faculty and students on the “Genetic approach in the study of history of the Kyrgyz ethnogenesis." The focus of his research is to trace links between the peoples of modern Central Asia, Siberia and Native Americans, who according to the recent findings all have a common origin in the Altay Mountains in Siberia more than 14,000 years ago.
Dr. Aldashev also met also with Dr. Scott Woodward, of Ancestry.com to discuss the results of research and prospects for further cooperation. To further strengthen ties with UVU, Dr. Aldashev established contacts with several faculty, including Dr. Mark Bracken, Chair of the Department of Biology, who is also an expert on the impact of the high-altitudes on humans.
Members of the Utah International Mountain Forum with guest from Kyrgyzstan
He also met with members of the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), where he shared his thoughts about joint projects with the Sorenson Foundation, discussed other areas for student involvement, and shared many of his own experiences from his work at the University of Colorado. UIMF members informed him of their contributions to UVU’s cooperation with Central Asia, Latin America and their plans for taking part in the June 2012 Rio+20 U.N. Conference on sustainable development in Brazil, along with the co-organizing of the third international Women of the Mountains Conference in Puno, Peru in June 14-15, 2012. Dallin Kaufman, UVU graduate, Assistant, Office of International Affairs and Diplomacy, UVU