USC to Offer Iranian Studies Minor for the First Time Ever

- For the first time in its history, the University of Southern California's Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences will offer a minor in Iranian studies, as part of an initiative launched in November 2010 through the support of Farhang Foundation. - 6/6/13

Iranian Woman Among Winners Of UNESCO's Young Scientist Award

- Iranian woman Atieh Kazemi Mojarad is among the recipients of UNESCO's Young Scientist Award. She won the award for her research in "sustainable development of Biosphere Reserves through the promotion of key ecosystem services." - 6/4/13

IAAB's Persian Language Educators' Symposium in NYC: Huge Success for Persian Language Schools

- Over 40 directors and educators of Persian Language Heritage Schools in the United States gathered this past weekend in New York City for an IAAB-organized symposium. - 5/31/13

Iranian researchers produce clean fuel from water

- Iranian researchers at Zanjan Fundamental Sciences University along with researchers from Russia and the US have synthesized a catalyst which has the capability of water oxidation as a clean fuel. -ISNA - 5/27/13

Technical university in Isfahan bans women from some programs

- The Isfahan University of Technology has closed seven fields of study to female applicants. ISNA reports that the university is now refusing applications from female students in certain branches of agriculture, natural resources engineering and water resources. These programs are now only open to male applicants. - 5/24/13

Persian Language Symposium: This Weekend in NYC

- Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB), in collaboration with directors of Persian language schools, will hold it's first Persian Language Educators' Symposium this weekend in New York City. - 5/23/13

Mahsa Mirtalebi is appointed "Global Swede" at the University of Gothenburg

- The University of Gothenburg has appointed Mahsa Mirtalebi, student at the international BSc programme in Software Engineering and Management, as the "Global Swede" of 2013. Mahsa Mirtalebi is a very devoted and active student and also a very devoted student ambassador for the education at the IT Faculty. - 5/20/13

Iran transplants aortic valve in sheep's heart

- Iran has embarked on conducting several important research plans on different medical and veterinary domains since last year, one of which is transplanting human's aortic valve to several sheep, said Secretary of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution Mokhber Dezfouli. - 5/14/13

Photos: National Teachers' Day Celebration in Iran

- Iran marks Teachers' Day on May 2nd each year. This day was originally chosen to commemorate the martyrdom of Abulhassan Khan'ali, a teacher who was shot dead in a meeting in front of National Parliament during the Mohammad Reza Shah era on May 2, 1961. Later the Islamic Republic government changed this to commemorate the martyrdom of Dr. Morteza Motahhari on May 2, 1979. - 5/2/13

Iran produces another transgenic goat

- An Iranian privately-owned research center working on tissue engineering and nanotechnology has produced a transgenic goat. The first transgenic Iranian boat named 'Tarabon' was produced by Bonyakhteh (stem cell) Technology Research Center on April 19 and now is in full health - 4/29/13

Iranian researchers building artificial heart

- President of the University of Mashhad Medical Sciences said researchers at the university are building artificial heart for the first time in the country, describing it as a "key achievement" for Iranian scientists. - 4/27/13

Iranian schools among best 112 Asian universities

- Five Iranian universities were included in the list of the best 112 Asian universities, Leiden University found in 2013 ranking. - 4/22/13

Iranian students win grand prize in Malaysian 2013 Chem-E-Car Competition

- Iranian students won the grand prize in the 8th round of Malaysian Chem-E-Car Competition 2013 attended by 35 teams. - 4/22/13

Iranian doctor greatest world woman inventor in 2013

- Dr. Zahra Alizadeh Thani, an Iranian doctor from Mashad Medical Science University received the award of the greatest world woman inventor in Geneva International Festival for Inventions in year 2013. - 4/17/13

Photos: Innovative UAV Design Competitions in Qazvin, Iran

- The competitions are organized by the Shahid Rezaei Research Center of Sharif University of Technology. The goal of the research center is to develop expertise in the following areas for UAV design: Configuration, Structure, Propulsion, Navigation, Control System, Breaking & Code Making and Real Time Data Transfer - 4/13/13

Mapping the Iranian Genome

- Since PARSA Community Foundation granted $250,000 to Stanford University's Iranian Genome Project in 2010, the project has grown significantly. The Iranian Genome Project aims to provide knowledge to both the scientific and Iranian community by studying and understanding the genetic background of Iranians... - 4/10/13

IAAB's Persian Language Educators' Symposium

- IAAB's Persian Language Educators' Symposium brings together Persian language educators who teach heritage speakers from pre-school through high school. The educators will gather from around the United States to address shared goals, needs, and challenges in an invite-only symposium in New York City from May 25-26, 2013. - 4/10/13

Young Language Scholar Goes on Odyssey Through Central Asia

- A love of the Persian language, a fascination with hiking and the outdoors, and a sense of adventure sent Johann, a secondary school student from the United States, to Central Asia to study the language last summer. -Chandley McDonald, IIP - 4/9/13

University of Tabriz scientists build ultra light, fuel-less aircraft

- The researcher referring to the performance of this aircraft added: "this ultra light aircraft flies with electric engine and without fuel. This project was executed and supported by Azad Islamic University, International Division of Qeshm Island and the University of Tabriz." - 4/8/13

Photos: The RoboCup IranOpen 2013

- The eighth RoboCup Open competitions in Iran, The RoboCup IranOpen 2013, started in Tehran on April 5th and will continue until April 7. The Iranian RoboCup National Committee and Qazvin Azad University are the organizers of this event which is being held at Tehran's International Fairground. The participants will present and share scientific achievements in the areas of AI & Robotics during the event. - 4/6/13

Persian Studies at the University of Maryland

- Aspiring to be the premier center for the study and appreciation of Persian culture in the United States, the Roshan Institute for Persian Studies was established at UMD's School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures in Fall 2004. - 3/28/13

Leaders of top Iranian universities to be fired

- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has instructed his Minister of Science and Technology to dismiss the heads of the Tehran and Tarbiat Modarres universities, referring to them as "possible security" concerns. - 3/18/13

The First Iranian-Armenian Earth Scientist to be Honored by the Geological Society of America

- The special session honors the 40 years of Dr. Manuel Berberian's research which has contributed significantly to our understanding of the geologic evolution and active tectonics of Southwest Asia. This multidisciplinary session is expected to bring together an international group of researchers, ranging from veteran experts to students, to present and identify frontier avenues of research involving the geology, geophysics, and active tectonics of Southwest Asia. - 3/11/13

Hakim (Physician-Philosopher) Razi - A book by Parviz Azkaei

- Zakaria Razi (865-925), the musician, alchemist and the father of modern chemistry, the philosopher and physician is the reviver of ancient Iranian world-views after the advent of Islam. For this reason, Parviz Azkaei's great comprehensive work on Razi's life, covering the history and socio-political conditions of his time as well was The Book that as an Iranian, I was craving for all my life. -Roya Monajem - 3/1/13

Iran is cooperating in global Human Proteome Project

- A researcher of Royan Research Institute said here Saturday Iran is cooperating with 19 developed countries in the global Human Proteome Project (HPP) in the fields of medicine and science. - 2/23/13

12,000 foreign students studying at Iranian universities

- Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Technology Rasoul Malkefar said on Monday February 11 that there are 12,000 foreign students studying at Iranian universities nationwide. Speaking to reporters in Bojnourd, he said these students admitted to the Iranian universities attend classes regularly. - 2/18/13

Professors Ali Khademhosseini and Hua Zhang win 2012 Small Young Innovator Awards

- The "Small Young Innovator Awards" were presented to Professor Ali Khademhosseini and Professor Hua Zhang during the recent "Small Science Symposium: Frontiers in Nanomedicine" held in Singapore from 10 - 12 December 2012. Both of them presented their prize lectures to 300 delegates during the symposium - 2/12/13

Official: Iran Ranks 8th in Nano Science Production

- Iran has achieved eye-catching breakthroughs in the field of nano- science and technology, an Iranian official announced on Wednesday, adding that the country is among the first eight countries in the field of nano science production in the world. - 2/7/13

CENTRE FOR IRANIAN STUDIES: Scholarships Available In Iranian Studies

- The Centre for Iranian Studies Chair Arshin Adib-Moghaddam welcomed the "unique and generous" opportunity that the scholarships provide. The Kamran Djam scholarships are a part of a decisive push for Iranian Studies at SOAS facilitated by the Centre for Iranian Studies at the London Middle East Institute (LMEI). - 2/4/13

Islam and science The road to renewal

- A Muslim scientific awakening is under way. And the roots of scientific backwardness lie not with religious leaders, but with secular rulers, who are as stingy with cash as they are lavish with controls over independent thought. -Economist - 1/31/13

IAAB and HAND Foundation Launch University Fellows Program For Iranian and Central Asian Student Leaders

- Based on the success of IAAB's fellowship program and the HAND Foundation's awards program, both organizations have joined forces to recognize and cultivate a new generation of young Central Asian (Persian-speaking Afghan, Tajik, Uzbek) and Iranian American leaders. - 1/24/13

IAAB's Persian Language Educators' Symposium

- IAAB's Persian Language Educators' Symposium brings together Persian language educators who teach heritage speakers from pre-school through high school. The educators will gather from around the United States to address shared goals, needs, and challenges in a closed, invite-only symposium in New York City from May 24-27, 2013. - 1/21/13

Maryam Mirzakhani Receives 2013 AMS Satter Prize

- Maryam Mirzakhani, Professor of Mathematics at Stanford University, is receiving the 2013 AMS Ruth Lyttle Satter Prize. Presented every two years by the American Mathematical Society, the Satter Prize recognizes an outstanding contribution to mathematics research by a woman in the preceding five years. - 1/15/13

Iranian researchers reconstruct defected mandible using brain death bones, cell therapy

- Researchers at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences have reconstructed the mandible using bones from brain death patients and stem cells. Dr. Mehdi Gholami, project manager, told Mehr News about the common procedures for mandible reconstruction and added "for the reconstruction of major mandibular defects, usually the hip bone is used which causes problems when walking. - 1/13/13

Persian for Beginners published in Swedish

- Persiska for nyborjare is a step-by-step introduction to written and spoken Persian, which enables students to speak, read, and write the language with ease. It features 23 chapters, which are ideal for both classroom use and self-study. - 1/11/13

IAAB Announces its 2013 Summer Leadership Institute

- IAAB is pleased to present its 2013 Summer Leadership Institute (SLI), which is being held from June 27, 2013 - July 10, 2013 in Whittier College outside Los Angeles, California. IAAB's SLI houses its celebrated annual Iranian American high school and middle school leadership camps, Camp Ayandeh and Camp Javan, as well as an intensive training program for university student and young professional leaders. - 1/8/13

Interview with Iranian ophthalmologist and inventor of LASIK

- Gholam Ali Peyman is an Iranian scientist and a member of Ophthalmology Hall of Fame. His fame relates mostly to his invention of LASIK, an operation whereby people with limited eyesight can retain their vision without glasses. In December 2012 he was nominated for receiving the National Medal of Technology and Innovation for his innovation, LASIK. He will receive the medal officially from the President of the United States next month. - 1/8/13

Photos: With Forouzan In The Classroom

- Forouzan Hezarehsin lives in the village of Sheikh Shamsoddin in Shushtar, southwestern Iran. Due to a physical disorder, she suffers from a very short height. Forouzan spent the preparatory period in a school for special children. However, since it was concluded that her disability is physical, she was transferred to a regular school starting this school year. -Zohre Oveydi - 1/3/13

Dark Sky Park to be established in Iran's Qeshm Island

- Iran has plans to establish the first Dark Sky Park in the country's southern island of Qeshm to boost astronomy research and tourism at the area. - 1/2/13

Iranian researcher finds 73-million-year-old fossil near Kermanshah

- Ronak Geravandi, a doctoral student and member of Scientific Board of Geology Department at Razi University of Kermanshah, has discovered a fossil belonging to Cretaceous period in 73 million years ago. - 12/31/12

Iranian physicists' 40-year-old dream comes true

- Farhad Ardalan, a precursor of Iranian scientists cooperation in CERN research, has called the cooperation as the fulfillment of the 40-year-old dream of Iranians to participate in the International Laboratory For Particles Research. - 12/30/12

Iranian researchers take giant leap forward prostate and lung cancer treatment

- Researchers in Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Unit, have developed a method for prostate and lung cancer treatment through combining nuclear, radio-isotope and nano-technology. - 12/29/12

Top Iranian University Sharif Among New Sanction Targets

- The EU has imposed sanctions on Iran's top institution of technology, Sanati Sharif University in Tehran. Sanati Sharif University is among the 18 new institutions and companies sanctioned by the European Union. - 12/23/12

Khaneye Doost (Friend's House)

- I am always surprised by how few Iranians know or have even heard about Golestan Kids. While Golestan is located in Berkeley, on a busy stretch of galleries, independent pottery studios and shops, many Iranians are not familiar with this growing and creative organization. -Salomeh Keyhani - 12/21/12

Iranian scientists use microchips to help spinally impaired walk

- Scientists at the Neural Technology Center of the University of Science and Technology of Iran made standing and walking possible for patients with impaired spinal cord by producing a microcomputer. - 12/17/12

"Biruni" 2013 Graduate Student Research Award

- Iranian American Physicists (IrAP) Network Group is announcing 2013 Biruni Graduate Student Research Award to promote and recognize outstanding research by a physics graduate student of Iranian heritage who is currently studying in one of the institutions of higher education in USA. - 12/10/12

Iranian official laments German press propaganda about Iran-DAAD cooperation

- An official of Iran's Science, Research and Technology Ministry has lamented the German press propaganda about collaboration between Iran and the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst -- DAAD). - 12/9/12

Photos: 37 Iranian students injured in school fire accident

- A fire accident in an elementary school in Piranshahr, Iran's Western Azerbaijan Province, injured 37 students on Wednesday December 5. ISNA reports that 8 of the burn victims have suffered burns of over 40 to 50 percent of their body and are in critical condition. - 12/5/12

Photos: On the occasion of Iran's National Student Day

- Iran's Student Day is the anniversary of the murder of three students of University of Tehran on December 7, 1953 (16 Azar 1332 in the Iranian calendar) by Iranian police in the Pahlavi era. Every year there are local demonstrations at many Iranian universities organised by students to mark the occasion. - 12/5/12

Photos: One Student Killed, Sixteen Injured In Bus Accident In Mashhad

- One student died and sixteen were injured as a bus carrying students in Mashhad, northeastern Iran overturned. This is the third such accident involving students in recent weeks.. - 12/4/12

Problem of illiteracy persists in Iran

- The head of Iran's Literacy Movement has announced that more than 9.5 million Iranians over the age of six are illiterate. Ali Bagherzadeh told the Reporters Club today, Monday November 26, that one third of the illiterate population is between the ages of 10 and 49. - 11/27/12

The Biggest Wish of Sharif University's Chief: Holding A Mass Prayer On Another Planet

- During an recent gathering at Sharif University of Technology, Dr. Reza Roosta Azad, Chancellor of the University, said that during the week of aerospace he was asked what his biggest wishes were. He said that he had responded that his biggest wish was to hold a mass prayer on one of the other planets, since this wish allows the both technological and spiritual advancements. Amen! - 11/26/12

14 students wounded in latest field trip accident in Iran

- Another bus carrying Iranian students on a field trip to southern Iran has overturned on the road, wounding fourteen passengers. - 11/22/12

Iran and Turkey Closing in on Israel When It Comes to Science

- The Iranian hacker cyber attack on American computer banks, which led American Secretary of Defense [Leon Panetta] to issue a warning of a "cyber-war Pearl Harbor attack," is part of the dramatic changes that have taken place in the last decade, in the field of scientific R&D in Islamic Middle East countries including Iran. -Yerach Tal, Al Monitor - 11/3/12

Iranian students feel the pain as currency collapses

- Around 35,000 Iranian students are believed to be studying abroad this year, according to government figures, providing the economy with important skills and maintaining a link between the country and the rest of the world as it becomes increasingly isolated internationally. -Reuters - 10/17/12

Gold-loving bacteria show superman strength

- "Microbial alchemy is what we're doing - transforming gold from something that has no value into a solid, precious metal that's valuable," said Kazem Kashefi, assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics. - 10/6/12

Iran ranks 5th in International Olympiad in Informatics

- Iranian students stood at the fifth place of the 24th International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) ranking held in Italy September 23-30. - 9/29/12

Iran: Ensure Equal Access to Higher Education

- The Iranian government should immediately reverse policies that place unnecessary restrictions on academic freedom for university students, in particular women. Some of these "Islamicization" measures are to be introduced for the new academic year, which begins on September 22, 2012. Others have been put in place in recent years and adopted by universities across the country. -HRW - 9/22/12

Iran scraps cheaper foreign currency for studies abroad

- Iran's Minister of the Economy has announced that the Central Bank will not be responsible for providing foreign currency for students pursuing their education abroad. - 9/22/12

Iranians Denied U.S. Visas Hit by Political Crossfire

- A promising future in academia and business beckoned Majid Abbasi. His research on how welding affects the properties of steel earned him a doctorate from Brigham Young University and a job offer from the University of Alabama. -Business Week - 9/21/12

Schools in Iran welcome first-graders

- Primary schools across Iran opened their doors on Wednesday to children who started a new experience in their lives by entering classes. - 9/20/12

Photos: A New Beginning For The Quake Hit Children

- The beginning of the new academic year in Iran Wednesday morning was also a new beginning for the children in the quake hit regions in northeastern Iran. To makes this a happy start for these children, a special "blossom festival" was held at Koueik village, town of Heris. - 9/19/12

Iran, Germany sign academic MOU

- Iran's Science, Research and Technology Ministry and the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst -- DAAD) have recently signed a memorandum of understanding to expand academic relations. - 9/15/12

Leave No Iranian Child Behind: From Gender Gap to Gender Panic

- As young women's presence in higher education grows, so does ideological backlash. -Shervin Malekzadeh, Tehran Bureau - 9/15/12

New Burdens for Iranian Students Seeking to Study in U.S.

- A provision in the latest sanctions bill, signed into law this past August, would ban visas for Iranian students seeking to study a field that will prepare them "for a career in the energy sector of Iran or in nuclear science or nuclear engineering or a related field in Iran," as determined by the Secretary of State. - 9/8/12

Secular Professors Not Wanted: Iranian Minister

- The Etemad daily reported on Tuesday that Science Minister Kamran Daneshjoo says: "Universities are where human power is trained proportionate to revolutionary values and ideals." Therefore, secular professors cannot teach at universities. - 9/4/12

Momeni Foundation announces 2012 scholarship recipients

- It is with great pleasure and honor to introduce our scholarship recipients for the year 2012. The following 16 individuals have been selected from a large pool of applicants. Their outstanding achievements, volunteerism and sense of community is impressive. - 9/2/12

Persian language being offered for the first time at San Jose State University this fall

- This fall, San Jose State University will be offering beginning Persian language for the first time ever! With the support of a grant from the PARSA Community Foundation, we are able to offer a once-a-week, five-unit class through International and Extended Studies and World Languages. - 8/24/12

Newcastle woman teaches sign language in Iran

- A deaf teacher of sign language from Newcastle has spent three weeks as a volunteer in Iran. Tessa Padden, 55, taught the basics of sign linguistics, which are common across all sign languages, and explained the importance of sign language teaching. -BBC - 8/22/12

Iranian universities close nursing to male applicants

- Iran's Nursing Association has slammed the decision to restrict university nursing programs to female applicants. - 8/16/12

Iranian Science Minister to explain reduced female enrollment

- The head of the Education and Research Commission of Iran's Parliament has announced that Iran's Science Minister has been summoned to Parliament to explain the recent restrictions against the acceptance of women in a number of university programs. - 8/10/12

Fewer female students admitted to Iranian university

- Yazd University has limited its acceptance of women in engineering programs for the coming academic year. ILNA reports that women are now completely barred from the civil and mechanical engineering programs, and the acceptance of new female applicants is down by nearly 25 percent in several programs. - 8/9/12

Iranian women excluded from vast areas of study

- With the announcement of university entrance exam results for the coming academic year in Iran, 36 universities have closed 77 fields of study to women. - 8/6/12

Iranian-American Scientist Nima Arkani-Hamed Recipient of 3 Million Dollar FPP Prize

- Nima Arkani-Hamed, a scientist of Iranian heritage at Institute for Advanced Study, is among 9 scientists receiving the biggest Prize in Theoretical Physics of $3,000,000 each. - 8/3/12

Iran joins research team for nuclear fusion project

- The head of Islamic Azad University's Plasma Physics Research Center says that Iran is now a partner in the development of the world's largest nuclear fusion project. - 7/23/12