OSU Professors Honored with Endowed Professorships

Friday, May 8, 2020

The Oklahoma State University School of Global Studies and Partnerships is pleased to announce two new Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies Endowed Professorships.

Dr. Ali Mirchi, assistant professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering and Pouya Jahanshahi, assistant professor of graphic design in the Department of Art, Graphic Design and Art History, each received a three year appointment.

The annual support these endowment funds provide will allow the honorees to explore their respective disciplines from the perspective of Iran and the Persian Gulf.

Mirchi holds a doctorate in civil and water resources engineering from Michigan Technological University, a master’s in water resources from Lund University, and a bachelor’s degree in civil and water engineering from the University of Tabriz.

He is currently working on research projects focusing on the southwestern U.S. and northeastern Tunisia, investigating adaptive water resources management strategies in the face of population growth, competing demands, and climatic extreme. Mirchi has published extensively on Iran's water challenges and solution strategies from the lens of sustainability.

“The IPGS Professorship will allow me, using a practical mechanism, to expand applied research collaboration and exchange with water and environmental management researchers working on Iran’s water and food security issues,” Mirchi said.

He is an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Environmental and Water Resources Institute and the American Geophysical Union.

Jahanshahi received his Master of Fine Art in graphic design and integrated media from the California Institute of Arts. He is the co-founder of Pasaj Collaborative and Local-Not-Local art and design collaboratives. His co-curated 20 x 20 Posters for Peace collection is exhibited at the Wes Watkins Center for International Trade.

When time permits, he pursues his hobbies of Persian calligraphy, silk-screening and concrete poetry. He was recently chosen by the Oklahoma Arts Council to be one of 30 individuals in the Oklahoma Leadership-Arts program, whose members aim to become leaders and advocates for art in local communities and the state.

Jahanshahi’s research will include a comprehensive study of the landscape of contemporary Iranian arts and trade within the Persian Gulf region and furthering reach and development in the regional and global art trade. He will implement local events, exhibitions and seminars geared toward the development of cultural diplomacy.

“My goal is to focus on a path toward mutual cross-cultural understanding and productive international relations,” Jahanshahi said.

OSU has a long history of international engagement with a global impact. The School of Global Studies and Partnerships serves as a strategic and administrative center for the university’s global engagement. The School also serves as a resource to the university community for information and support in developing and assisting high-impact international experiences for OSU faculty and staff.

To find out more about the IPGS Professorships, please contact Lyn Putnam at 405-744-5496 or lyn.putnam@okstate.edu.