Partnership with USC Institute of Armenian Studies Brings Interactive Biographies of Armenian Scholar, Descendants
As the 110th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide approaches on April 24, the USC Shoah Foundation is proud to announce the landmark partnership with the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, a hub of research and learning at USC dedicated to studying the contemporary Armenian diaspora and the Republic of Armenia.
Officially launched in September 2024, the partnership has resulted in the collection of three interactive autobiographies (Dimensions in Testimony) from notable 3rd-generation Armenian-American descendants of genocide survivors. With the support of expert interviewers provided by the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, the USC Shoah Foundation welcomes the first Armenian Genocide survivor descendant and scholar interviewees to its interactive autobiography library.
“This collaboration not only amplifies Armenian experiences in a vital and globally recognized collection, but also highlights the value of the Institute’s expertise in the process,” said Dr. Shushan Karapetian, Director of USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies. “Institute Project Director, Lilit Keshishyan; Project Manager, Manuk Avedikyan; and Chitjian Researcher Archivist, Gegham Mughnetsyan, who have played a central role in developing our extensive oral history collections, now comprising hundreds of life stories—served as interviewers and consultants, bringing with them deep expertise in Armenian Studies and genocide education.”
The USC Shoah Foundation’s interactive autobiographies use advanced filming techniques, specialized display technologies, and next-generation natural language processing to enable people to ask questions and receive the most appropriate pre-recorded video response, creating a conversational experience.
The three interviewees are Dr. Khatchig Mouradian, a leading genocide scholar and author; Salpi Ghazarian, the former director of the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies; and Ani Hovannisian, a documentary film producer.
"Partnering with the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies was essential to capture the interviewees’ diverse and nuanced knowledge and personal connections to the Armenian Genocide. Our collaborative work will provide invaluable educational insights and foster a deeper understanding of this historical event," said Dr. Lesly Culp, USC Shoah Foundation Director of Education.
These interactive autobiographies are made possible through the USC Shoah Foundation’s Keep The Promise - Armenian Genocide Education program on IWitness. The program seeks to humanize and contextualize the history of the Armenian Genocide while promoting broader awareness of Armenian culture and preservation efforts in the Armenian diaspora.
“This technology allows diverse audiences to engage in conversation with the interviewees and learn about their life experiences,” said Dr. Sedda Antekelian, USC Shoah Foundation Senior Learning and Development Specialist. “Their stories give us insight into what it means to be Armenian in the diaspora and the complex responsibilities this identity carries.”
The interactive autobiographies will be available for educators, students, and the general public on the USC Shoah Foundation’s educational platform, IWitness, beginning in the fall of 2025.
USC Shoah Foundation developed interactive autobiographies (formerly known as Dimensions in Testimony) in association with the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, with technology by USC Institute for Creative Technologies, and concept by Conscience Display.
The interactive autobiography created for Keep the Promise are in partnership with the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies.