The ACMS in partnership with Tod Nomin Gerel and the Digital Library for International Research has completed the digitization of hand-made Buddhist manuscripts written in both Oirat clear script and Mongolian old script.  Access to extant texts for analysis is necessary in order to contribute to a ‘definitive’ history of the Oirat.  Almost all of the scholarship on the Oirats is based on either Russian or Chinese sources. Being able to access the scant information that exists on Oirat culture and history, in their own voice, provides important insights into this little understood but important transition area, and into the religious, literary, linguistic, and historical cultural heritage of the Western Mongols within a greater ‘Khalkha’ Mongolia.

This is one of several projects being carried out by member centers of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers.  These digitization projects were funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access program and administered by the Digital Library for International Research.

The Tod Nomin Gerel collection can bee seen at: http://www.dlir.org/tngc-about

The ACMS hosted the visit of Professor Rajive Ganguli, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Mining and Engineering at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks June 13-20, 2011. During his week-long visit Professor Ganguli presented three training workshops to MUST faculty and students on the topics of using online databases for mining engineering research, academic publishing; and distance learning using Blackboard; gave a 2-day mini-course on Neural Networks for Mining Engineers; presented a lecture on “Accreditation of Engineering Education in the United States” in our Speaker Series; and, along with his Chancellor, signed educational cooperation agreements between his University and MUST, as well as with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Dr. Ganguli’s visit was co-hosted by MUST.

ACMS Workshop - MUST faculty

Neural Network Course at MUST

ACMS Seminar

The ACMS co-organized the visit of Mark Elliott, Ph.D., Mark Schwartz Professor of Chinese and Inner Asian History, Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University with National University of Mongolia faculty, students and administrators and with local Qing specialists during his first visit to Mongolia June 12-14, 2011. Professor Elliott met with Choimaa bagsh and colleagues, to discuss the 100th anniversary conference in honor of noted Harvard Mongolist Francis Woodman Cleaves, which will be held in Ulaanbaatar at NUM on August 8, 2011. He then met with Qing scholars for several hours to hear more about their research interests in the field, and to present an overview of the state of Manchu studies in the world today. He also met with NUM officials to discuss cooperative programs and a forthcoming trip to Harvard in October. He was also given guided tours of the National Archives, Central Library, and Gandan archives. Professor Elliott was in Mongolia as part of a Harvard Alumni tour; the ACMS was represented at the US Ambassador to Mongolia’s breakfast for that group before they departed on tour.

Breakfast at Ambassador’s Residence

With NUM scholars

Qing-era Researchers

In early June, 2011, ACMS Library Fellow Susan Powell gave a presentation to a group of almost 25 professional librarians in Mongolia on cataloguing maps and map collections, and the special issues involved. This marked the first time professional librarians in Mongolia heard from a US librarian specialist on the topic and they asked for a follow-up training session, so that they can train other librarians in the Fall after Susan leaves. This follow up training session took place a few weeks later with a subgroup group of six librarians.

At the end of June, ACMS Faculty Fellow Tom Scheiding (not pictured) and his postdoctoral student Borchuluun discussed their research on factors associated with the (lack of) usage of databases in Mongolia, e-resources for librarians in Mongolia, and human resource training needs to bring Mongolia to a generally accepted level of standards professional librarians. The meeting was organized by the ACMS and a follow up report of Borchuluun’s findings will be prepared.

Susan Powell, ACMS Library Fellow

ACMS Faculty Fellow Scheiding (not pictured) and associate Borchuluun

Several of the ACMS fellows have arrived in Ulaanbaatar for the summer. A few of the early arrivers are shown below:

ACMS Research, Library, Student and Faculty Fellows

ACMS Field Research Student, Mentor