Research Groups
Research Groups at University of Birjand
Research groups exist to tackle complex problems efficiently, share expertise, access funding, and create sustainable scientific output. They are the backbone of modern scientific discovery.
Why research groups exist at University of Birjand?
1. Regional Needs
- Many groups focus on challenges specific to South Khorasan Province, such as drought, saffron production and rural development.
2. Resource Sharing & Collaboration
- University labs, field stations, and equipment are shared across members to conduct experiments efficiently.
3. Funding & Academic Output
- Groups can apply for research grants from government or private sources, boosting both funding and publication output.
4. Mentorship & Education
- Graduate students and junior researchers are trained within these groups, ensuring continuity of expertise.
5. Interdisciplinary Problem-Solving
- For complex problems like climate change or agricultural sustainability, multiple expertise areas (biology, engineering, economics) are needed, which is achieved through these groups.
Earth Sciences
Goals:
The Earth Sciences Research Group was established with the aim of conducting research in various fields related to earth sciences. This research includes both fundamental and applied studies. The group is ready to collaborate on regional, national, and international projects, as well as provide consulting services for organizations and institutions. The group hopes to play a positive role in the development of earth sciences. The Earth Sciences Research Group consists of experienced colleagues with diverse expertise. Its members are faculty from the Geology, Mining, and Physical Geography Departments at University of Birjand.
Leader:
Dr. Seyed Naser Raisossadat
PhD in Geology, Department of Geology, Faculty of Science
snraeisosadat@birjand.ac.ir
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/raeisosadat/fa
Saffron
Goals:
The Saffron Research Group studies saffron, including cultivation, quality and value-added agricultural aspects of the province.
Leader:
Dr. Mohammad Ali Behdani
PhD in Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture
mabehdani@birjand.ac.ir
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/behdani/fa
Rural Studies
Goals:
The Rural Studies Research Group of South Khorasan aims to address the critical challenges and development opportunities of rural and peri-urban settlements in the province. Its key goals include:
- Conducting research to guide sustainable spatial planning and socio-economic development of rural and peri-urban areas in South Khorasan, helping reduce population pressure on cities.
- Creating a collaborative platform that brings together experts, knowledge, and research capacities from Birjand University and other institutions to support evidence-based decision-making.
- Assisting in preparing mandated development plans for rural settlements, particularly in line with national policies requiring economic and employment development strategies for more than 600 villages in the province.
- Leveraging research projects and development contracts to generate funding and economic benefits for the research group and partner institutions.
- Investigating key issues related to rural security, food security, and vulnerability to natural and human-induced hazards, and provide solutions to inform policy and management strategies.
Leader:
Dr. Mohammad Hajipour
PhD in Geography and Rural Planning, Faculty of Literature and Humanities
mhahipour@birjand.ac.ir
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/hajipour/fa
Interdisciplinary Studies
Goals:
The Interdisciplinary Studies Research Group at University of Birjand aims to advance interdisciplinary research and support projects that address societal needs and enhance graduate employability. It focuses on developing interdisciplinary skills among humanities scholars to enable innovation, job creation, and value generation. The group promotes comparative and interdisciplinary analysis of literary, cultural, and artistic texts to highlight their social relevance and multiple functions. It also seeks to design curricula, produce educational materials, and establish M.A. and Ph.D. programs in Comparative Literature that emphasize Persian literary heritage and its global interactions, making academic content more accessible and contextually meaningful.
Leader:
Dr. Ebrahim Mohammadi
PhD in Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities
emohammadi@birjand.ac.ir
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/emohammadi/fa
Interdisciplinary Defense Studies
This research group aims at filling a critical gap in research on Sacred Defense in South Khorasan and utilizing this opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary research in the humanities and related fields, in response to the needs of provincial institutions, such as producing encyclopedic, research-based, documentary, and oral history outputs.
Goals:
- Contributing to the realization of the national Vision 1444, which emphasizes cultural, historical, and ethical values, by advancing scholarly knowledge and dissemination of Islamic, national, and revolutionary values.
- Supporting the Iranian Islamic Model of Progress by promoting objective and scientific understanding of the values and achievements of the Islamic Revolution.
- Advancing national science and research policies that call for balanced development in higher education, deepening religious knowledge, strengthening national identity, and protecting cultural security.
- Fulfilling commitments in agreements between the Ministry of Science and the Foundation for the Preservation and Publication of Sacred Defense Values to support academic programs based on Sacred Defense studies.
- Implementing University of Birjand’s strategic goals to expand collaboration with governmental and cultural institutions and to operationalize existing agreements through research contracts.
- Meeting institutional obligations in bilateral agreements that explicitly require the establishment of a research group and research center dedicated to Sacred Defense.
Leader:
Dr. Hamed Noruzi
PhD in Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities
hd_noruzi@birjand.ac.ir
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/hnowrouzi/fa
High-Density Hydrogen Energy and Radiation Production
Goals:
Hydrogen and Renewable Energy
- Design, validate, and produce high-density hydrogen energy pathways.
- Establish experimental setups and reference labs for research, education, and repeated testing of hydrogen technologies.
- Develop new renewable energy hubs and hydrogen-based automotive solutions.
- Integrate water desalination with hydrogen and other energy technologies.
Petroleum and Industrial Research
- Establish new university programs and a fundamental research center in petroleum.
- Create a hub for petroleum-based machinery production and technological innovation.
- Support collaborative petroleum research and promote a knowledge-based economy.
- Use marketing and international collaboration to enhance competitiveness, reduce costs, and improve quality.
Analytical and Laboratory Capabilities
- Analyze materials via spectroscopy and design machines for such analyses.
- Provide accurate mineral stone analyses in collaboration with reference labs.
- Ensure compliance with academic, industrial, and international export standards.
Advanced Technology Development
- Develop micro-reactors using catalytic reactions for targeted substrate outputs.
- Apply strategic technologies to promote sustainability and generate long-term economic value.
Leader:
Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Firoozabadi
PhD in Nuclear Physics, School of Science
mfiroozabadi@birjand.ac.ir
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/firoozabadi/fa
Environmental Stress in Animal Sciences
Goals:
The research group focuses on improving livestock and poultry production both quantitatively and qualitatively through strategies such as using medicinal plants for nutrition and optimizing livestock management and breeding practices. Its main objectives are to conduct applied research and provide practical solutions to mitigate environmental stresses in animal husbandry, particularly under adverse climatic conditions.
Key Objectives:
- Conduct applied research on comprehensive management of environmental stresses in livestock.
- Disseminate and educate stakeholders about research findings on environmental stresses.
- Assist in developing national and regional plans focused on environmental stress adaptation and passive defense strategies.
- Address challenges in livestock production caused by regional droughts.
- Collaborate with universities, research institutes, and governmental organizations on relevant research areas.
- Provide training and guidance to graduate students on new scientific developments and advanced research methods.
- Monitor, reduce, and propose policies to mitigate the impact of environmental stresses on agriculture and livestock.
- Study climate adaptation programs and their effects on livestock populations, vegetation, water resources, forage, natural resources, and rural economies.
- Offer practical solutions to minimize environmental stress impacts while maintaining livestock production, natural resources, and rural populations.
- Establish a database of drought- and salinity-tolerant plants suitable for animal feed.
- Develop methods for identifying, harvesting, and storing rainwater and unconventional water sources for use during droughts.
- Produce drought- and salinity-resistant crops and forage, and adapt them to local conditions.
- Determine optimal crop types, planting patterns, and forage cultivation levels suited to drought and heat conditions.
- Coordinate with crisis management organizations to address drought consequences with practical solutions.
- Identify toxic plants during drought and establish a committee to prevent livestock poisoning, including first-aid protocols.
- Form committees to address bioterrorism and environmental stresses in cooperation with the provincial veterinary department.
- Establish collaboration between industry and academia.
- Create a research institute focused on drought, climate change, and environmental stresses in agriculture and livestock, in collaboration with other university research groups.
- Develop a scientific hub specializing in environmental stresses in animal sciences.
Leader:
Dr. Seyyed Ehsan Ghiasi
PhD in Ruminant Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture
s.e.ghiasi@birjand.ac.ir
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/ghiasi
Plant and Environmental Stress
Goals:
The Plant and Environmental Stress research group at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand (under the Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding), has a distinguished history in studying the effects of abiotic stresses on plants. The group is active in research projects, theses, publications, workshops, conferences, and specialized journals (e.g., Environmental Stresses in Agricultural Sciences). The research focuses on understanding plant adaptation to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, nutrient deficiencies, and heavy metals. It aims to develop stress-tolerant and underutilized plant species, improve irrigation and management practices, apply genetic and agronomic methods for stress resilience, and establish a gene bank for resistant plants. The group also promotes knowledge transfer to farmers, provides education and advisory support to graduate students, collaborates with national and international research centers, informs agricultural policy, and organizes workshops, seminars, and conferences to advance sustainable crop production and community resilience.
Leader:
Dr. Hamidreza Fallahi
PhD in Agronomy-Crop Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture
hamidreza.fallahi@birjand.ac.ir
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/fallahi/en
Drought and Climate Change
Goals:
The Drought and Climate Change Research Group was established to conduct applied research aimed at mitigating drought and developing climate adaptation strategies.
Key Objectives:
- Conduct applied research for comprehensive drought management.
- Disseminate research findings and provide training on drought-related topics.
- Support provincial development plans with a climate adaptation perspective.
- Address drought-related challenges in agriculture, engineering, veterinary science, economics, and social sectors.
- Collaborate with universities, research institutes, and governmental organizations.
- Provide education and guidance to graduate students on new scientific methods and research improvement.
- Reduce and manage the impacts of drought and climate change; advise on agricultural and research policy reforms.
- Assess climate adaptation programs and their effects on water resources, agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.
- Propose strategies to sustain agricultural production and conserve natural resources in drought-affected areas.
- Establish databases for drought- and stress-tolerant crops, orchards, pests, and forage.
- Develop methods for harvesting and storing rainwater and unconventional water sources.
- Produce drought- and salinity-resistant crop varieties and localize suitable seeds.
- Determine appropriate cropping patterns, crop types, and cultivation areas based on regional drought conditions.
- Maintain direct coordination with provincial crisis management and government authorities to implement practical drought mitigation measures.
Leader:
Dr. Mostafa Yaghoobzadeh
Ph.D. in Irrigation and Drainage, Faculty of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environment:
mostafa.yaghoobzadeh@gmail.com
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/yaghoobzadeh/fa
Orthopedics & Biomechanics
Goals:
The group focuses on strengthening research quality, fostering interdisciplinary and international collaborations, and addressing both national and global needs in orthopedics and biomechanics. The overarching aim is to structure, systematize, and strengthen research efforts in orthopedics and biomechanics within mechanical engineering, combining academic excellence with practical applications and technology transfer. The main goals include:
- Enhancing the quality of applied research and producing meaningful research outcomes.
- Participating in interdisciplinary and international research through collaboration with reputable global centers.
- Strengthening university connections with societal research needs in orthopedics and biomechanics.
- Creating appropriate infrastructure to commercialize research results.
- Building a strong research brand in the field.
- Training specialized human resources to meet current and future national and global needs.
- Developing research infrastructure, including future research centers and institutes.
- Publishing research findings in international journals and conferences.
- Registering patents and producing knowledge-based innovations.
- Expanding scientific and technological knowledge in orthopedics and biomechanics through collaborative research with clinical researchers and mechanical engineers.
- Organizing educational workshops and training programs at the university and industry level in orthopedics–biomechanics.
Leader:
Dr. Vahid Arbabi
PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
v.arbabi@birjand.ac.ir
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/varbabi/fa
Modern Technologies in Civil Engineering
Goals:
The research group Modern Technologies in Civil Engineering is an academic or research-focused group that concentrates on the application of cutting-edge technologies and innovative methods in the field of civil engineering with the following as overall goals:
- Conducting applied and innovative research in the field of modern civil engineering technologies, including smart materials, sustainable buildings, advanced construction technologies, and digitalization of civil projects.
- Developing new design and construction methods and techniques aimed at improving quality, reducing costs, and enhancing the efficiency of civil engineering projects.
- Utilizing digital and smart technologies such as BIM, 3D modeling, computer simulation, and data mining in civil engineering.
- Establishing interdisciplinary and international collaborations with universities, research institutes, and relevant industries for technology transfer and knowledge advancement.
Leader:
Dr. Hashem Jahangir
PhD in Civil Engineering, Ferdows Technical College
h.jahangir@birjand.ac.ir
CV: https://cv.birjand.ac.ir/hjahangir/en