[music] I'm often asked, how would you describe yourself. A lifelong learner, a free will traveler, environmentalist, a conservationist, or an ocean advocate. And often I pause to think and then I always inevitably choose to be an oceans's advocate. And why I choose to be an ocean advocate lies from my childhood to the way my career has shaped the way I have shaped.Let me take you back. Let me take you to decades ago when I was a child holding my father's hand standing at the railway station waving goodbyes ...

Environmental Protection & Conservation - Protecting nature before destruction is more effective than restoration [1] - Modern biotechnology has limits, exemplified by the "dire wolf" case, highlighting the irreplaceable value of natural ecosystems [1] - Forests are complex systems where every organism plays a role [1] - Real environmental protection requires behavioral change, reduced consumption, and a revised relationship with nature [1] Expertise & Recognition - Arsen Gasparyan is a biodiversity expert and Assistant Professor at the American University of Armenia's Acopian Center for the Environment [1] - Gasparyan holds a PhD in lichen diversity and conservation from Freie Universität Berlin [1] - He has worked in nature conservation across Armenia since 2009, including roles with WWF and the Institute of Botany [1] - Gasparyan received the Distinguished Alumni Award from USG Alumni Armenia and the U.S Embassy in 2024 for achievements in STEM and biodiversity conservation [1]