Iraj Zandi

Zandi received an electro-mechanical engineering degree from the University of Tehran in 1952, a MS degree in civil engineering from Oklahoma University in 1957, and a Ph.D. degree in civil engineering (environment) from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1959.

Zandi is Emeritus Professor of Systems & National Center Professor of Resource Management & Technology in the Department of Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania (Penn).  National Center Chair is housed jointly in the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Wharton School of Business.  In July 1, 1998 he relinquished his tenured position on behalf of one of his former students.  However, according to the agreement with the University, he will continue his teaching and research as before.  Zandi joined the faculty at Penn in 1966 as an Associate Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering.  In 1971 he was the founding chair of the graduate Ph.D. program on Energy Management and Power at the University of Pennsylvania.  From 1962 to 1966 he was Assistant Professor at the University of Delaware.  He has advised 22 Ph.D. dissertations and numerous MS thesis.  He has published in excess of 100 research papers, chapters in books, and technical reports.

His honors include: M.A. First Award from the Society of XI, Georgia Institute of Technology (1960), Honorable Mention from Water Resources Division of American Water Works Association (1961), Honorary MS degree from the University of Pennsylvania (1971), Certificate of Appreciation from Pipeline Division, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE, 1971); City of Philadelphia Citation (1974), Distinguished Lecture Award from International Freight Pipelines Society (1989); Distinguished Service Award from the International Freight Pipelines Society (1992).  John Orr Memorial Lectures through out South Africa in connection with the Centenary celebration of the South African Institute of Mechanical Engineers (1992).  In 1998 the Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management established the “Iraj Zandi Award” to be given annually to someone who has significantly contributed to the field of Solid Waste Management.  The Award will be presented each year at the International Conference on Solid waste Technology & Management.

Zandi has served as the Editor of the following Journals: The Journal of Pipeline (1966-1969), published by ASCE; The Journal of Transportation Engineering (1969-1971), published by ASCE; The Journal of Pipeline (1980-1986), published by Elsivier Scientific Publishing; The Journal of Resource Management and Technology (1981-1997).  He has also served in the Editorial Boards of numerous other journals.

In 1995 he and two of his colleagues were awarded US Patent 5,456,751 for the invention of PRIC (Particulate Rubber Included Concrete).

Zandi served as the founding President of International Freight Pipelines Society (IFPS) from 1982 to 1985.  He served as the Conference Chair for two series of conferences: 1. The International Symposium on Freight Pipelines (six in all) which now is being organized by IFPS, and 2. The International Conference on Solid Waste Management and Technology (thirteen in all) which now is being organized by Widener University.  In 1999 he was elected in Rome, Italy as the founding President of the International Society of Solid Waste Management and Research.

He has served as the Principle Investigator of numerous multi-years research contracts including several grants from National Science Foundation, US Bureau of Mines, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Ben Franklin Technology Center, Pew Charitable Trust, US Army, US Air Force, and Companies such as Anheuser- Busch, ALCOA, Owens-Illinois, Continental Can and many others.  Some of these projects have been multi-disciplinary and included several professors from Penn and other institutions.

He has lectured widely to the international audiences in US, Japan, Korea, China, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Poland, Iran, and England.  He has published in excess of 100 research papers, conference proceedings and research reports and edited two books. He has served as consultant or lectured to several major companies or governmental agencies such as AT&T, Dow Chemical, Anheiser-Busch, Delaware Public service Commission, New York State Commission on Higher education, Office of Technology Assessment of the US Congress, City of Philadelphia, etc.  He served as a science advisor to the former US Congressman Lawrence Coughlin in 1973 and advised US Congressman Curt Weldon in 1996 on issues related to recycling.

Zandi has been invited by several committees of both US Senate and US House of Representatives to testify as an expert at Hearing on such diverse issues as slurry pipeline, energy, education, environment, and recycling.

Zandi has been at different times a member of numerous professional societies including: The New York Academy of Sciences; Society of Sigma Xi, American Society for Engineering Education, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Water Works Association, Water Pollution Control Federation, American Association for Advancement of Science.  His name first appeared in Who is Who in America in 1982-1983 edition

RESEARCH
 

• Since about 1990 he is conducting research in the area of system methodology with particular interest in problem formulation and planning.  Typical of his papers in this period are:

            Rubenstein-Montano, B., Anandalingam, G., and Zandi, I. (1999). "A Genetic
            Algorithm Approach to Policy Design for Consequence Minimization."
            European Journal of Operational Research, pp. 43-54, 124, 2000.

             Rubenstein-Montano, Bonnie and Zandi, Iraj. (2000). "An Evaluative Tool for
             Solid Waste Management", Journal of Urban Planning & Development,
             ASCE, 126, N3, pp. 119-135, September 2000.

             Zandi, Iraj. (2000). "Use of Artificial Neural Network as a Risk
             Assessment Tool in Preventing Child Abuse", submitted for review,
             November 2000.

            "Systems Thinking Applied to Environment/Resource Management System," Journal of
            Resource Management and Technology, 15, 2, pp. 41-53, 1986.

His current research is related to the system methodologies that exhibit intelligence.  He is now exploring the applicability of neural network technology to such divers problems as pattern recognition in children abuse within families, and credit approval for loans by banks.
 

• In the decade of 1980s (approximately) his research interest has been in the area of resource management and technology with particular emphasis on recycling.  Typical of his papers in this period are:

            "Resoumetric: A Multi-Company, Multi-Facility, Multi-Echelon Integrated Planning and Assessment
            Tool - A Case Study Copper," in Application of Computers and Operations Research in the Mineral
            Industrv Neil T.J.O., Editor, Society of Mining Engineers of AIME, pp.55-65, New York, 1979, with
            Barry Silverman.

            "Copper Econometric Models," Engineering Costs and Production Economics, 5, pp. 53-70, 1980, with
            David Hu.
 

• In the decade of 1970s (approximately) his research interest was in the field of energy management and technology.  Typical of his publication in this period are:

            "On Energy Research and Development," in Hearings before Subcommittee on Government Operation,
            U.S. House of Representatives, 93rd Congress, pp.115-124, Government Printing Office, November
            1973, with Congressman L.R. Coughlin.

            "Coal Slurry Pipelines," in Hearings before Subcommittee on Energy and Power, House Interstate &
            Foreign Commerce Committee, U.S. House of Representative, 95th Congress, Government Printing
            Office, May 26, 1977.
 

• In the decade of 1960s his research interest was in the field of freight pipeline.  Typical of his publication in this period are:

            Advances on Solid-Liquid Flow in Pipes and Its Applications, Editor, Pergamon Press, New York, NY,
            1971.

            "Turbulent Flow of Non-Newtonian Suspensions in Pipes," Journal of the Engineering Mechanics, ASCE,
            95, EMI, pp. 271-288, February 1969, with Mr. V.H.K. Murthy.

            "Beach Nourishment from Offshore Sources," Shore and Beach, The Journal of American Shore & Beach
            Preservation Association, 37, 2, pp. 40-49, October 1969, with George Govatos.

            "The Absorption of Oxygen by Dilute Polymeric Solutions-Molecular Diffusivity Measurements,"
            Journal of Chemical Engineering Sciences, 25, 3, pp. 517-528, March 1970, with C.D.Turner.

            "Are Pipelines the Answer to Waste Collection Dilemma," The Journal of Environmental Science &
            Technology, 3, 9, pp. 812-819, September 1969, Feature Article. with John Hayden .
            (This paper and research associated with it received extensive press coverage in both technical and
            non-technical publications including: Fortune, October 1967, page 194; Newsweek, February 1968, page
            91 (Science & Space); Philadelphia Magazine, February 1968, page 87; Pennsylvania Gazette, March
            1968, pages 16-20; Compost Science, Fall Issue 1967; The Globe Magazine, November 11, 1967
            (Canada); Reader's Digest; American City Magazine, November 1969; Iron Age, February 5, 1970; in
            motion picture "The Trouble with Trash" by Caterpillar; Encyclopedia Britannica Year Book, 1970,
            p. 212; and numerous other press including TV and radio programs).
 

• His earlier work was in the area of water resources engineering.  The major paper of this period was:

            "Decreased Head Losses in Raw Water Conduits," Journal of the American Water Works Association,
            59, 2, pp. 213-226, February 1967.
 

            "Training of Water Resources Specialists for Developing Countries," Water for Peace, Vol. 5, pp.
            876-884, 1967. (Also presented as an invited paper to the International Conference of Water for Peace,
            Washington, DC, paper p/432, pp. 1-8, May 1967).
 

• During his scholarly work, Zandi has been always interested in philosophy of science and technology.  Typical of this interest are:

            "A Different View of Liberal Education," in The Technological Catch and Society, 1975.

            "Is There Anyone Else?" in Historv & Philosophy of Technology, Editor George Buglieriello, pp.
            371-379, The University of Illinois Press, 1979.
 
 

• Zandi also has been interested in public policy and planning.  Typical of this interest are:

            "Management of Solid Waste Systems," Journal of Environmental Systems, 2, 4, pp. 285-304,
            December 1972.

            "Major Issues Facing Solid Waste Management in the 1990's," presented a White Paper to the
            Congressional Clearinghouse in Recycling and Solid Waste Solutions. U.S. Congress on July 31, 1991 at
            the Rayburn Building, Washington, D.C., and published in the Journal of Resource Management and
           Technology, 19, 4, pp. 166-185, December 1991.