Education

Ph.D. in Geology/Meteoritics (Aix-Marseille Université, CEREGE, France; 2015/01 – 2018/02)

Thesis Title: Meteorites of Iran and hot deserts: Classification and weathering. Supervisor: Prof. Pierre Rochette

M.Sc. in Geology/Petrology (University of Tehran – Department of Geology, Iran; 2011/09 – 2014/01)

Thesis Title: Geochemistry of Subvolcanic Rocks from Qisir Dagh, Southeast of Savalan Volcano, (North-West) Iran. Supervisor: Dr. Hassan Mirnejad

B.Sc. in Applied Geology (Payame Noor University – Tabriz Branch, Iran; 2007/09 – 2011/07)

GPA of Optional Courses: 16.93/20, Main Courses: 16.54/20

Fundings/Honors/Awards

• ­Co-investigator in a project entitled “petrology and geodynamics of igneous rocks from the Zevardash area, southwest Pamirs, Tajikistan. Funded by University of Central Asia (01/2022-03/2023)
• Recipient of National Belgian FRS-FNRS postdoctoral fellowship (2021 – 2024)
• Recipient of Marie Skłodowska-Curie@ULB COFUND postdoctoral fellowship (2019 – 2021)
• Prix de thèse d’Aix-Marseille Université. Selected as the best thesis in the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Science and among the 15 thesis selected out of 763 doctoral thesis defended in 2018.
• Participation in Franco-Belge Tournesol program (2015 – 2017), project title: Terrestrial weathering of meteorites.
• Student travel grants for Meteoritical Society Meetings at Casablanca (2014) and Berlin (2016).
• Recipient of Ph.D. fellowship of the Embassy of France in Iran (2014 – 2015).
• Participation in Gundishapour program (2014 – 2016), project title: Investigation of a new site for meteorite collection, the Lut desert, and its comparison with other hot deserts.
• Recipient of M.Sc fellowship of the University of Tehran (2011 – 2012).
• Ranked 22st (overall) among ~6000 participants in the national university entrance exam for M.Sc. degree (Ranked: 5st in Geochemistry; 8st in Economic Geology; 12st in Environmental Geology and 42st in Petrology)
• Honored as a distinguished telescopic deep-sky observer and lecturer (referee) in:
  • 2th Messier Marathon of Nojum Magazine, Seghaleh (Semnan), March 2013
  • 10th Messier Marathon, held by Astronomical Society of Iran (ASI), Seghaleh (Southern Khorasan), April 2011
  • South-Iran Messier Marathon, Abaadeh (Fars), August 2010
  • 3th Sufi Observing Competition, held by (ASI), Pasargad (Fars), August 2009
  • 9th Messier Marathon, held by (ASI), Seghaleh (Southern Khorasan), March 2009
  • 8th Messier Marathon, held by (ASI), Qasr-e Bahram (Semnan), April 2008
  • 1th Sufi Observing Competition, held by (ASI), Shahmirzad (Semnan), August 2006
  • 6th Messier Marathon, held by (ASI), Qasr-e Bahram (Semnan), April 2006

Experience

Meteorite classification

Classification of between 700 to 800 meteorites, including falls and finds.

Associate curator of CEREGE meteorite collection.

Field Research Experience

• February and March 2022, Western Cameroon, Sampling from rock/soil profiles.
• January and February 2020, Nansen Blue Ice Field (Antarctica), meteorite recovery.
• November 2017, Atacama Desert (Chile), Meteorite recovery.
• May 2016, Sahara Desert (Morocco/Western Sahara), Meteorite recovery.
• November 2015, Iranian deserts, Meteorite recovery.
• October 2015, Atacama Desert (Chile), Meteorite recovery.
• October 2014, Central Lut Desert, Sampling Material for Ph.D. thesis.
• March and April 2014, Central Lut Desert, Sampling Material for Ph.D. thesis.
• February 2014, Central Lut Desert (Kalout), Prospecting study areas for Ph.D. thesis.
• September 2013, Great Kavir Desert (Khoor-e Biabanak), Study of Koureh Gaz Crater.
• August and September 2013, NW-Iran (Savalan Volcano), Rock sampling for petrographical and geochemical studies.
• September 2012, April and September 2013, NW-Iran (Qisir Dagh), M.Sc. thesis.
• July 2012, Northern Lut Desert (Birjand), Sampling playa sediments and furthur chemical analyses to evaluate Lithium content – Study of Seghaleh Crater.
• March 2013, Great Kavir Desert (Semnan), Meteorite recovery.
• October and November 2012, NW-Iran (Khameneh), Working on Khameneh “fall” incident.
• March 2011, Sistan and Baluchistan, Study of Gwarkuh Crater.
• February and April 2011, NW-Iran (Kondroud), Geological mapping.

Teaching Experience

• Teacher of “Earth Sciences”, Allame Tabatabaei High School, Tehran, Fall 2013 – Winter 2014
• Teaching assistant in “Mineralogy Laboratory” for B.Sc students, University of Tehran, Fall 2012
• Teaching assistant in “Geochemical Analytical Methods” for Graduate Students, University of Tehran, Fall 2012
• Teaching “Observational Astronomy” and “Principles of Astronomy” in some of Iranian well-known amateur astronomy centers (such as: Night Sky Co., Nojum magazine, Ayaz Astronomical Society), 2006 – 2014.

Work Experience

• Postdoctoral researcher at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, February 2018 – present
• Associate editor in Nojum magazine, May 2012 – present
• Science Author in Persian science websites (nightsky.ir, nojum.ir), 2006 – 2011

Journal Referee 

The Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Acta Geologica Sinica, Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Journal of South American Earth Sciences, Annals of Glaciology

Thesis Supervision

• ­M. Zadsaleh, Ph.D., 03/2023, Shahid Beheshti University, Petrology and geochemistry of pyroclastic deposits of Damavand volcano. Thesis Advisor.
• M. Boeini, M.Sc., 02/2021, Kharazmi University, Petrology of meteorites from Shahdad region (Iran). Thesis Advisor.
• P. Ghaznavi, M.Sc., 07/2020, University of Tehran, Petrology of meteoritic fusion crust. Thesis Advisor.

Selected Invited Talks & Lectures

• February 2023, Seminar: “Chemical Weathering and Formation of Regolith-Hosted Rare Earth Deposits”, Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, Aix-en-Provence.
• February 2023, Seminar: “Intense Chemical Weathering and Formation of Regolith-Hosted Rare Earth Deposits”, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels.
• January 2023, Seminar: “Regolith-Hosted Rare Earth Deposits and the Potential of Radiogenic and Stable Isotopes in Understanding their Genesis”, Géosciences Environnement Toulouse (GET), Toulouse.
• February 2022, Seminar: “Elemental and isotopic dynamics of chemical weathering”, Université de Dschang, Dschang.
• February 2021, Webinar: “Meteorites from Antarctica: Insights from Nansen Ice Field, Dronning Maud”, Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science, Tehran.
• February 2021, Webinar: “Meteorites from Antarctica: Insights from Nansen Ice Field, Dronning Maud”, Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, Paris.
• January 2021, Webinar: “Meteorites from Antarctica: Insights from the BELARE 2019-2020 meteorite recovery expedition on the Nansen Ice Field, East Antarctica”, University of Tehran, Tehran.
• December 2020, Webinar: “Meteorites from Antarctica: Insights from the BELARE 2019-2020 meteorite recovery expedition on the Nansen Ice Field, East Antarctica”, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels.
• December 2020, Webinar: “Meteorites from hot and cold deserts”, Ayaz Astronomy Society, Tabriz.
• November 2020, Lecture: “Methodology of classifying meteorites”, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels.
• August 2020, Webinar: “Meteorites from hot and cold deserts”, Biruni Observatory, Shiraz University, Shiraz.
• March and April 2020, Three webinars on “Meteoritics and cosmochemistry”, Nojum Magazine, Amirkabir University,  and Tehran Astronomy Club, Tehran.
• October 2019, Webinar: “Lunar rocks and soils”, Kharazmi University, Tehran.
• May 2018, Giving a seminar on “Reduced ordinary chondrites” and helping technician in meteorite classification, Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, Paris.
• March 2017, “Search for cosmic rocks in the Lut Desert (Iran)”, IMBE, Aix en Provence, France.
• August 2016, “Three day workshop on meteorites”, Ayaz Astronomy Club, Tabriz, Iran.
• May 2016, “Analytical methods in meteoritics”, Najm-e Shomal Astronomy Association, Rasht, Iran.
• May 2015, “The first workshop on the meteorites”, Iranian Space Agency, Karaj, Iran.
• October 2014, “Meteorites of Iran: the State of Knowledge,” University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran.
• February 2014, “Meteorites and Related Studies in Iran”, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
• August 2013, “Micrometeorites”, 8th AOA, Tabriz, Iran
• August 2013, “Meteor Showers: Principles and Observation”, 46th Ayaz Astronomy Club, Tabriz, Iran.
• April 2013, “Meteorites and Impact Craters”, International Astronomy Day, Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran.
• August 2012, Lecturing in a 4-day workshop (+fieldwork) on «Introduction to Minerals and Meteorites”, Ayaz Astronomical Society, Tabriz, Iran.
• September 2011, “Search for Impact Craters in Iran Project”, Yazd, Iran.
• February 2007, “Amateur Supernova Hunting”, Tehran Astronomy Club, Tehran.

Selected Radio & TV Appearances (available upon request)

• ­­April 2022, Famenin meteorite, Ensaan-Zamin-Farda, Iran International TV
• November 2021, Comets and Asteroids, Ensaan-Zamin-Farda, Iran International TV
• July 2021, Two programs on impact craters and meteorites, Ensaan-Zamin-Farda, Iran International TV
• August 2020, Meteorites, Istgah-e Fazaee Podcast
• March 2020, Describing our Antarctic mission, Iran Antarctic Podcast
• April 2019, Asteroid impacts!, Rahe Shiri (Milky Way), Digikala Mag Productions
• December 2015, Meteorites of Iran, Asemaneshab (TV), Channel 4, IRIB
• February 2013, Chelyabinsk Meteorite Fall, Asemaneshab (TV), Channel 4, IRIB
• January 2013, Meteorites and Veramin Meteorite, Lights Off, Radio Tehran, IRIB
• March 2012, Impact Craters, Asemaneshab (TV), Channel 4, IRIB
• March 2012, Meteorites, Asemaneshab (TV), Channel 4, IRIB
• March 2012, Observing Comets, Asemaneshab (TV), Channel 4, IRIB
• August 2011, Meteorites, Choogane Falak, Radio Sedaye Ashena, IRIB
• August 2011, Asteroids, Choogane Falak, Radio Sedaye Ashena, IRIB

In addition to radio and TV, ~ 20 interviews with me have been published in well-known Farsi media such as Euronews Farsi, BBC Persian, JameJam Newspaper, ISNA, etc.

Skills

Technical Skills

Chemical and physical techniques used in mineralogy, petrology and meteoritics (e.g., optical and electron microscopy, mineral characterization using EMPA, XRD, and magnetic methods; sample preparation and analysis of whole rock elemental and isotopic compositions using ICP-MS, ICP-OES, MC-ICP-MS, TIMS; thin and thick section preparation for microscopic studies, geological mapping, etc.

Computational Skills

Windows systems, Microsoft Office, vector and pixel graphics (Adobe Photoshop, CorelDRAW, etc.).

Language Skills

Azeri: Native | Farsi: Bilingual | English: Fluent | Turkish: Conversational | French: Conversational |