New Resident Director – Dr. Isaac Hart
The American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) is pleased to announce that Dr. Issac Hart has agreed to serve as the new Resident Director in the Ulaanbaatar office. Dr. Hart received his Ph.D. in Anthropology in 2017 from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and is an interdisciplinary archaeologist and paleoecologist with expertise in anthropology, zoology, and climate science. He has conducted fieldwork around the world, from the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico to the Eurasian steppes of western Mongolia and is excited to be able to now base himself in Mongolia to help build ties between international and Mongolian scholars and institutions and support the range of academic and cultural exchanges and programs offered by the ACMS.
Dr. Hart plans to arrive in Mongolia in mid-November 2023, and is looking forward to meeting and listening to important stakeholders and friends of the ACMS in Mongolia and abroad as the organization works to develop and implement a new strategic plan. The ACMS Resident Director is responsible for the management of the ACMS Ulaanbaatar office, staff and programs, and the development of new programs, partners, and funding sources. As Resident Director, Dr. Hart’s goal is to build a strong, collaborative international community in Mongolian Studies by fostering strong connections between international and Mongolia scholars and researchers, and international and Mongolian institutions and programs. Together with ACMS board member Charles Krusekopf he recently attended a meeting hosted by the Council of American Overses Research Centers in Dakar, Senegal, where Directors from over 20 research centers met to discuss new programs, collaborations and funding opportunities under the sponsorship of the State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Dr. Hart's research explores the paleoenvironmental record of climatic change to provide environmental context for important developments in human prehistory, including the domestication and early spread of the horse in central Eurasia, the adoption of maize farming in the Colorado Plateau of western North America, and the response of humans and animals to climatic change in Baja California and the Yucatan. He served as Director for the University of Utah's interdisciplinary Anthropology and Geography Research Laboratory, where he also trained students in archaeological science. Dr. Hart has a strong track record of leadership in international and scientific partnership with Mongolian institutions. Since 2017, he has co-directed, with scholars from the National Museum of Mongolia, the collaborative Altai Archaeological Project that investigates ancient environmental change in alpine lakes and recovered important ancient artifacts melting from mountain ice due to global climate warming.
“I am absolutely thrilled to share that I'm joining the American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) as Resident Director, based in Ulaanbaatar. This opportunity to work with ACMS to strengthen the bonds between the United States and Mongolia is a true privilege. Building connections, fostering understanding, and enhancing scientific cooperation between our two nations is a goal I hold close to my heart. I am excited to embark on this journey with ACMS and look forward to the positive impact we can create together, both for our countries and the global community at large.”
– Dr. Isaac Hart, Resident Director, ACMS
The American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) is a non-profit, non-governmental educational organization that supports the development of Mongolian Studies and academic exchanges with Inner Asia. The activities of the ACMS include the development of academic resources, student and research support, and the fostering of academic partnerships in all fields of study related to Mongolia. The ACMS is a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC).
Dear Mr. Hart,
Just yesterday Bill Taylor suggested I get in touch with you on my next working visit to Mongolia. That will be in April 2024. I have worked with Mongolian schools and universities since 1998 and am there for at least a month each year.
In connection with new program possibilities, you might get in touch with Bonny Mealand. bonny@touchingwild.com. This past summer she worked with the International Takhi Group and the Great Gobi B SPA to take a pilot study group to the GGB, with special equine interest. In my opinion, collaboration might be of mutual interest.
Anita Fahrni-Minear