Imagine being on a bicycle, pedaling through different terrains. Some paths are flat, and you speed through easily. Some are hilly, and you need to pedal hard. In many ways, life is like a long bike ride. Hi there, I’m Mohammad, and I’d love to share a bit of my journey with you, from the shores of the Persian Gulf in Iran, to the tropical regions of Malaysia, and the vibrant landscapes of Taiwan.
It all began in Iran at the Persian Gulf University. That’s where I got my Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. But like any eager young student, I wanted to explore more, to see the world and learn from the best. So, I packed my bags and traveled to Malaysia.
Now, when you think of Malaysia, images of tasty food and lots of greenery may fill your mind. But for an engineer, especially one like me, it also posed a challenging riddle: landslides. Working with Professor Fauziah Ahmad at the University of Science, Malaysia (USM), I learned a lot about this. We worked on Slope Stability Analysis, trying to locate where landslides might happen. And guess what? We even made a software tool to help with this. Its performance was almost better than most of the available commercial software. This hard work was recognized when we won awards at international events.
At the ITEX exhibition with Prof. Fauziah Ahmad.
During this period, as I dug into journals and research, one name kept emerging—Professor Jianye Ching. He looked at soil and its problems in probabilistic way. I found this very interesting, and couldn’t resist reaching out. What began as a simple correspondence blossomed into an invaluable learning journey under his guidance. To my joy, he agreed to supervise my PhD study at the National Taiwan University.
In Taiwan, I embarked on a project that might seem straightforward but held layers of complexity underneath. Think of it like this: the strength of the soil beneath our feet is not the same everywhere. Some parts might be strong, while others might be weak. However, engineers, in an effort to simplify their work, often use an average value. This approach could be risky. So, with Professor Ching, we sought a better method. Our goal was to help engineers select a more reasonable value for soil strength, leading to safer and/or more economical constructions.
Professor Ching’s lab was like a big family. And this family had friends all over the world. I was lucky to meet some of them. People like Professor Kok-Kwang Phoon, who many call KK, and Professor Michael Hicks, known by friends as Mike. Meeting such big names in my field, talking to them, and learning from them was a dream come true.
Standing with giants: From left, KK, me, Mike, and Jianye. A moment I’ll always cherish.
During my PhD, I journeyed to various conferences, hopping from Thailand to Japan, then South Korea, and of course, Taiwan. Each trip was more than just presentations and academic discussions; it was a dive into diverse cultures and a chance to bond with fellow researchers. Beyond the learning, there were countless memories made, laughter shared, and insights gained.
Presenting my research at 16ARC.
ISGSR 2019: Dining with Drs. Faraz Tehrani and Divya Varkey, among others.
ISGSR 2019: Sharing a moment with Prof. Mike Hicks.
At the entrance of KAIST University, South Korea – capturing a memorable moment.
Dr. Mahdi Shadabfar and I at Taipei 101, with the iconic wind damping ball right behind us.
But wait, I haven’t told you about the best part of being in Taiwan. Remember the bicycle ride I talked about in the beginning? Taiwan is a paradise for people who love cycling. And I am one of them. I got myself a road bike and started exploring. My biggest achievement? A ride from Taipei to Chiayi. This was a long ride, almost 300 km! I started in the early morning and reached by evening. But the feeling when I finished? Unforgettable. Another time, I decided to cycle all around the rivers of Taipei in one go, covering about 170 km. Now, I proudly hold the fun title of “King of the River”.
Cycling with the team; shout out to Casey.
My rides logged in the Strava app, because if it’s not recorded, did it even happen?
When I am not cycling or working, I like to relax with a good movie. Sci-fi movies are my favorite. There’s something about stories of the future, of space, and of technology that I find very exciting.
Ready for The Matrix 4… but left disappointed 🙁
So, there you have it. My journey from Iran to Malaysia, then to Taiwan. From studying soil to cycling long distances. Life is full of surprises and challenges. But every challenge teaches us something. As I join the Department of Civil Engineering, I look forward to learning more, teaching, and of course, finding new paths to cycle on. Let’s make the most of this journey together!