IEW Student Spotlight: Peyman Abbaszadeh
- November 20th, 2019
- in International Main
By Brock Parker | Senior Editor/Writer | Alabama Water Institute
Peyman Abbaszadeh is a Ph.D. candidate at The University of Alabama’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. He is also a research assistant in the Center for Complex Hydrosystems Reseach (CCHR), a research center of the Alabama Water Institute.
Originally from Iran, Abbaszadeh came to UA to pursue his Ph.D. in hydrology and water resources. His research focuses on hydrologic modeling, data assimilation, and remote sensing to more accurately predict extreme hydroclimate events.
“Let’s assume that next week, we are expecting a thunderstorm,” said Abbaszadeh. “We know we’ll have heavy rainfall, so we want to know how much flood to anticipate from this extreme storm.”
Using advanced statistical and dynamical modeling and abundant state-of-the-art satellite observations, Abbaszadeh said they could also predict drought conditions and how long they will last.
“This information is crucial for water managers, farmers, and stakeholders as to how to consume water to avoid the deficit,” he said.
Abbaszadeh earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in his home country, and he came to UA to pursue his Ph.D. and to conduct research in hydrologic science and engineering for societal benefits. He is working on his Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr. Hamid Moradkhani, the director of CCHR and Alton N. Scott Endowed Professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. Abbaszadeh said being an international student at UA opens the door to a wide variety of opportunities because many students come from countries that might not have the facilities that the University offers.
“One important thing we have here at UA is the hope for future,” he said. “We are studying, learning, and conducting research, and at the same time, we’re building our future.”