Background: Dr. Pouya Taraghi is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Civil/Structural Engineering at the University of Alberta, working under the supervision of Dr. Hossein Daneshvar. He completed his Ph.D. with honors and distinction in the Structural Modeling and Reliability Analysis (SM&RA) Group at the University of Alberta under the supervision of Dr. Yong Li and Dr. Samer Adeeb. His doctoral research focused on the reliability and integrity of buried pipelines subjected to ground movement, involving the development of advanced mechanics-based models and the application of Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) for efficient structural reliability analysis.
Dr. Taraghi has published several papers in highly ranked engineering journals and leading international conferences (Google Scholar) . He has also contributed as a reviewer for journals such as the Journal of Building Engineering, Algorithms, Symmetry, Processes, and for the International Pipeline Conference (IPC). His research areas include reliability analysis, machine learning applications in civil engineering, advanced numerical methods, pipeline engineering, thin-walled structures, timber and sustainable structures, and structural reinforcement with composite materials for resilient and sustainable infrastructure. In addition to his pipeline-focused research, Dr. Taraghi is actively engaged in projects on sustainable timber systems as part of the Advanced Research in Timber Systems (ARTS) Group, and he supervises and mentors graduate and undergraduate students in both pipeline and timber research projects.

Supervised By: Dr. Hossein Daneshvar

Background: Ali is a Ph.D. Candidate in Structural Engineering at the University of Alberta. He received his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering in 2021, and an M.Sc. in Earthquake Engineering in 2023, both from the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran.
His doctoral research focuses on the seismic performance and structural integrity of timber moment-resisting frames. Ali’s work addresses a critical gap in the Canadian wood design standard (CSA O86), which currently lacks specific guidelines for timber systems that resist seismic demands without lateral bracing. Through a combination of large-scale experimental testing and advanced numerical modeling, his research aims to expand the global database of timber moment connections and establish reliable design provisions for future building code updates. His work is instrumental in advancing open, flexible interior layouts for sustainable timber infrastructure.

Research Topic: Seismic Performance Evaluation of Timber Moment-Resisting Frames

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/ali-yazdi-moghaddam-437079241

Supervised By: Dr. Hossein Daneshvar (principal supervisor), Dr. Shay Abtahi (co-supervisor)

Background: Borhan is a Ph.D. student in Structural Engineering at the University of Alberta, working under the supervision of Dr. Hossein Daneshvar. He received his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering (2021) and his M.Sc. in Earthquake Engineering (2024) from Sharif University of Technology in Iran.
His M.Sc. research focused on optimizing post-earthquake community recovery by integrating the Bayesian network and agent-based simulation. His research areas include infrastructure risk and resilience, structural reliability, risk-based decision-making, probabilistic modeling, and uncertainty analysis.

Research Topic: TBD

Supervised By: Dr. Hossein Daneshvar (principal supervisor), Dr. Mustafa Gul (co-supervisor)

Background: Nawal Hussein received her B.Sc. in Architectural Engineering and her M.Sc. in Energy from Alexandria University in Egypt, where she also served as a Teaching Assistant. Her current research integrates energy performance analysis with structural innovation. She is developing and testing two prototype solar trees, biomimicry-inspired renewable energy systems, that arrange photovoltaic panels in branching, tree-like configurations. One prototype is a fixed structure, while the other incorporates a moving mechanism to enhance adaptability and energy capture.
In contrast to conventional steel structural systems, her work explores the use of SPF timber as the primary structural material, a novel approach not previously examined in solar tree design. The research focuses on evaluating how natural materials can effectively replace steel without compromising structural stability or energy performance. Through experimental testing, including lap joint and moment-connection evaluations conducted at the University of Alberta, she aims to validate the feasibility, durability, and adaptive capabilities of wood-based solar PV tree structures.

Research Topic: Development and Implementation of Adaptive Wooden Solar PV Trees for Sustainable Energy

Supervised By: Dr. Hossein Daneshvar (principal supervisor), Dr. Samer Adeeb (co-supervisor)

Background: Luis completed his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering in 2024 at the University of Technology and Engineering(UTEC) in Lima, Peru. He is now an M.Sc. student in Structural Engineering at the University of Alberta, focusing on advanced composite repair systems for pipelines.

This project aims to enhance composite wrap systems used for pipeline repair by:

• Optimizing designs for different defect types and severities
• Integrating innovative materials to improve axial strain capacity
• Evaluating durability and sustainability to support long-term, permanent repair solutions

Research Topic: Optimization and Improvement of Composite Wrap Designs

Supervised By: Dr. Hossein Daneshvar (principal supervisor), Dr. Samer Adeeb (co-supervisor)

Background: Mohammad Hosseini received his B.Sc. in Materials Science and Engineering and his M.Sc. in the field of metal forming from Sharif University of Technology in Iran. His current research project, Enhancing the Axial Strain Capacity of Type B Sleeve Pipeline Repairs, combines finite element analysis and experimental testing to evaluate sleeve geometry and weld configurations for improving repair effectiveness under axial loading. In addition to his main research, he has contributed to several proposal initiatives, including NSERC Alliance, RTI, AREF, JELF-CFI, and TLEF projects, covering topics such as pipeline reinforcement, sustainable 3D printing with sawdust-based materials, prefabricated mass timber housing, hybrid testing systems, and sustainability in structural steel design education.

Research Topic: Enhancing the Axial Strain Capacity of Type B Sleeve Pipeline Repairs

Supervised By: Dr. Hossein Daneshvar

Background: Russel received his Bachelor's in Civil Engineering from the University of Alberta in 2024. He is currently pursuing his MSc. in Structural Engineering.

With recent building code changes permitting the construction of taller mass timber buildings, there is a growing need to understand their performance under disproportionate collapse scenarios. His research program focuses on the behaviour of shear connections subjected to a column removal scenario, which is widely used to simulate disproportionate collapse. To achieve this, twelve full-scale beam-to-column connection tests will be conducted using a double knife plate configuration.

Research Topic: Experimental Assessment of Mass Timber Connections Under Disproportionate Collapse Scenarios

Supervised By: Dr. Ali Imanpour (principal supervisor), Dr. Hossein Daneshvar (co-supervisor)

Background: Vala is an M.Sc. student in Structural and Earthquake Engineering at the University of Alberta, working under the supervision of Dr. Ali Imanpour and Dr. Hossein Daneshvar as part of the Steel Centre research group. His research focuses on pseudo-dynamic hybrid simulation of eccentrically braced steel frames with unbraced shear links in large single-storey buildings, aiming to clarify link stability and behaviour and to inform seismic design provisions. He developed a virtual hybrid simulation framework for eccentrically braced frames with unbraced I-shaped link beams and studied wide-flange EBF shear links under realistic bidirectional loading histories. Vala is also contributing to establishing hybrid-simulation capability in the I.F. Morrison Structures Laboratory, integrating numerical modelling with advanced component testing. He has authored journal and conference papers (Google Scholar) and is actively involved in extracurricular student and professional activities within the structural engineering and Steel Centre communities.

Research Topic: Pseudo-Dynamic Hybrid Simulation of Eccentrically Braced Frames with Unbraced Shear Links