Dr. Yarshater, the eminent Iranian scholar is the director of Columbia's Center for Iranian Studies, which he founded in 1967. Professor Yarshateris the Hagop Kevorkian Professor Emeritus of Iranian Studies and a specialsenior lecturer at Columbia University.Dr. Yarshater first conceived the idea of "Encyclopedia Iranica (EIR)" in1973 when he noticed a lack of coherent sources on topics related to the Iranian culture and history. With the University's initial backing and support from the Iranian government (which was cut off after therevolution), Dr. Yarshater started the EIR project.Encyclopedia Iranica is the most extensive reference work and research tool recording the facts about Iranian history and civilization. It is theonly precisely documented reference which, in the broadest terms, contains history, culture and science of all lands that speak or once spoke any Iranian language.