Seismic Activity: This Engineering Professor is Using AI to Make the World a Safer Place
Seismic Activity: This Engineering Professor is Using AI to Make the World a Safer Place
Publish Date: 2026-05-19 16:12:00
Source Domain: www.usu.edu
Disruptive technology, seismic concerns and a national issue of aging infrastructure. Mohsen Zaker Esteghamati isn’t just addressing these challenges; he is integrating artificial intelligence to prepare the next generation of engineers. His effort hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“We used to have this more traditional way of doing things, and now we have all these new, disruptive technologies,” Esteghamati said. “I think it’s very important to understand how we can adopt this technology and use it for engineering.”
After taking research, teaching, graduate student mentorship and service into consideration, Esteghamati, a first-generation student and assistant professor of structural engineering at Utah State, has won three major awards in a single academic year:
- 2026 Winner of the Engineering Educator of the Year, Structural Engineers Association of Utah.
- 2026 Winner of the Terry Peshia Early Career Faculty Award, American Institute of Steel Construction.
- 2026 Winner of the Engineering Educator of the Year, Utah Engineers Council.
“Sometimes we wonder about our roles and the impact that we have as professors,” Esteghamati said. “To me, a good educator is somebody that serves people. One that nourishes and serves people and elevates them in life. I feel like getting these awards kind of reinforced that I had an impact. So that was meaningful.”
As a first-generation student, Esteghamati wasn’t sure he fit in as an academic because he didn’t see many people like himself. It was a struggle, but he appreciates the way his education shaped him and the people that encouraged him.
“I feel like our college is very supportive,” Esteghamati said. “I was lucky to have a department head, Marvin Halling, that has been a great example of what an educator should be.”
Now Esteghamati sees an opportunity to give back.
“Being an immigrant, you know, that’s always in the back of your head,” Esteghamati said. “You are trained to have a bit of a global perspective….
