The late Dr. Sohrab Shahriari was the visionary founder of Iran’s first Faculty of Earth Sciences, and he remains celebrated as a leading scholar and eminent researcher in his field.
Born on 8 November 1934 in Kerman, Dr. Shahriari was the brother of Professor Parviz Shahriari. He began his early education at Kaviani and Iranshahr elementary schools in Kerman and continued in Tehran at the Roshdieh and Manouchehri schools. He earned his mathematics diploma from Firouzbahram High School before beginning his university studies in 1957 at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Tehran. Three years later, he completed a bachelor’s degree in geology and went on to pursue a master’s at the University of Graz, Austria, graduating in 1968. He also undertook postdoctoral studies in groundwater at Graz and specialized in geothermal energy and geochemistry at Kyushu University, Japan.
After returning to Iran, Dr. Shahriari joined the Department of Geology at the University of Isfahan, then joined the geological survey organization of Iran, and from 1974 to 2008, he dedicated himself to teaching and mentoring students at the National University of Iran. During this time, he established the Faculty of Earth Sciences, which includes the departments of stratigraphy, mineralogy, and structural geology.
Dr. Shahriari’s scholarly and research contributions were vast and highly influential. He passed away on 25 January 2022 at the age of 87. His legacy endures, and his contributions to Iranian science and education continue to inspire.
