It was an honor to receive 2018 Young Engineer Award for Professional Achievement. ASCE St. Louis Newsletter covered the professional and academic background of me as the award winner. The reference for the following article is the newsletter issue of October 2018. Sincerely, -Siavash Zamiran

The Young Engineer Award recognizes professional contributions of younger members to the Society and to the St. Louis Section and is presented annually to a Member of the St. Louis Section of ASCE who is judged to have attained significant professional achievement, and who is less than 35 years of age. This year’s Professional Recognition Award goes to Dr. Siavash Zamiran.

Dr. Zamiran earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 2009 from Azad University, followed by a Master’s of Science in Civil-Geotechnical in 2012. He then went on to earn his PhD in Engineering Science – Civil/Geotechnical Engineering from SIU-Carbondale in 2017.

Since 2017, Dr. Zamiran has worked with Marino Engineering Associates, where he performs stability analyses of reinforced slopes and retaining walls, subsidence investigations, and computational structural analysis of high-pressure natural gas and petroleum pipelines affected by ground subsidence. He is also teaching as an adjunct professor at SIU-Edwardsville.

Academically, Dr. Zamiran has worked as a Research Assistant and collaborative researcher at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale and Edwardsville and Azad University, with research topics including Seismic investigation of cantilever retaining walls, investigation of deep foundations in swelling weathered rock, subsidence investigation of Illinois coal mines, investigation of the behavior of soil nail walls in seismic and static conditions and liquefaction studying of monopile foundation in wind turbines.

Dr. Zamiran has been active with ASCE including: Key Contacts; committee member with Geo-Institute Rock Mechanics Committee, Deep Foundations Committee, and Geophysical Committee; head of judges at ASCE Mid-Continent Student Conference, Geo Wall Competition, and founder and former president of SIUE Geo-Institute Graduate Student Organization where he was the instructor of 4 free public workshops in geotechnical engineering.
Other highlights include:

• Author and co/author of more than 30 conference and journal articles, one book, and reviewer of more than five journals.
• Notable awards received: International Association of Foundation Drilling Award, GeoConfluence Research Scholarship, and Itasca Education Partnership Award.
• Upon his graduation with a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, he was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student award

Siavash Zamiran was interviewed by The Riverfront Times, a weekly magazine in St. Louis Metro area. The following is the article by Ms. Katie Hayes, The Riverfront Times journalist.
Link of the article
***
"While most people associate earthquakes with the West Coast — a price residents pay for sunny beaches and L.A. glamour — here's a sobering fact: Missouri is also at risk for a major earthquake.

"Although the earthquakes in the Midwest are less frequent, their effects are wider," says Siavash Zamiran, a civil/geotechnical engineer at Marino Engineering Associates in St. Louis. "There is a lot of probability of another earthquake happening, but not much public awareness of that."

In the next 50 years, there is a 25 to 40 percent chance of an earthquake magnitude six or higher hitting the region. There is a 7 to 10 percent chance of a magnitude seven or higher, as found by the United States Geological Survey. 

How big is that? The Loma Prieta earthquake, which famously interrupted the 1989 World Series in San Francisco, crumpling the upper level of the Bay Bridge, collapsing a freeway and causing 67 deaths, reached a magnitude of 6.9.

In other words: It's big.

The cause for concern stems from the New Madrid Seismic Zone — a major seismic zone between the Missouri Bootheel and Memphis, Tennessee.

But that doesn't mean you need to start packing for a safe space. Not yet.

Greg Hempen is a geophysicist who retired from the United States Army Corps of Engineers and now serves as a consultant for the Missouri Seismic Safety Commission. The commission is part of the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, or SEMA.
"The greatest hazard is from the New Madrid in our area, but that doesn't mean every place in St. Louis will be equally devastated," Hempen says. "The principle threat to structures and residences is in the floodplains. Most people in the uplands should not be too adversely affected."

More than 200 years ago, New Madrid suffered through an earthquake from this seismic zone. The New Madrid Historical Museum, located in the Missouri Bootheel, has testimonies from people who experienced a series of three magnitude 7 earthquakes between 1811 and 1812.
One testimony is a letter sent by William Leigh Pierce to the editor of the New York Evening Post in 1811. It reads, "At New Madrid, 70 miles from the confluence of the Ohio, and on the right hand, the utmost consternation prevailed among the inhabitants; confusion, terror and uproar presided; those in the town were seen running for refuge to the country, whilst those in the country fled with like purpose towards the town. I am happy, however, to observe, that no material injury has been sustained."

Should another earthquake of that magnitude hit, however, the damage would be considerably worse than it was 200 years ago.

"People in 1811 and 1812 were mostly self-sufficient," Hempen says. "They built their own structures. If the structure was only damaged a little, they could repair it. If it was damaged a lot, they could stay with a neighbor until the community repaired it." Today, of course, our lives are more complicated — and our edifices more elaborate.

Masonry buildings, those made with brick and mortar, are the most susceptible to earthquake damage. 

"We have some specific issues in St. Louis," Zamiran says. "One is that our buildings are more masonry buildings. So they are built with bricks, without any structural frames, without steel or concrete. They are very vulnerable."

Hempen, however, notes that he lives in a masonry structure that was built in the 1950s and has accepted the risk. While earthquakes are a concern in the region, Hempen says they are not the only hazard people should prepare for.

"I think there is a variety of things people should do short of preparing structures and preparing renovations," Hempen says. "There are many programs for all hazards. I think people should consider a variety of things. One is, do they have a hazard plan, an emergency disaster plan? If there is an evacuation, do they have an emergency list of what they should have?"

Two of the programs Hempen discusses are the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut and Map Your Neighborhood — both meant to educate people in the region about disaster preparedness.

Eight states would be directly affected by an earthquake from the New Madrid Seismic Zone. James Wilkinson, executive director of Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, brings together emergency managers from each of those states. He says Missouri and the eight states he represents are fully engaged in earthquake emergency update with FEMA.

"Folks need to understand the earthquake is not a West Coast thing exclusively," Wilkinson says. "We have active faults, manmade and naturally occurring. It's important people take time to do research about where they live and the susceptibility they have to earthquakes. Just because there is a threat doesn't mean it has to be all encompassing."​"

The news of GeoConfluence Research Scholarship earned by Siavash Zamiran is reflected in SIUE news webpage. 
The content of the news is provided in the following:
***
SIUE’s Zamiran Earns Inaugural Geoconfluence Research Scholarship
14 November 2016, 1:18 PM
​Southern Illinois University Edwardsville research assistant Siavash Zamiran has been awarded the inaugural GeoConfluence Research Scholarship from the St. Louis Chapter of the Geo-Institute of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He was recognized during GeoConfluence, the association’s annual conference, on Friday, Nov. 4 in St. Charles, Mo.
Zamiran is a doctoral candidate in the SIUE School of Engineering’s Cooperative PhD Program in Engineering Science with Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The scholarship will support his dissertation research, “Seismic Investigations of Retaining Wall Structures.”
“This scholarship funding will be used for developing a program that assists engineers through the nation to design retaining walls based on earthquake characteristics in their specific seismic zone” said Zamiran. “My future professional goal is to continue engineering research with experimental and numerical studies, and increase my publications in conferences and scientific journals. I would like to be active in different areas of geotechnical engineering in both academic and industrial environments.”
The GeoConfluence Research Scholarship promotes research in the field of geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineering, particularly that which will benefit the state of practice in the Midwest and can be implemented by regional engineers.
Zamiran’s extensive research activity during his doctoral studies includes the study of retaining walls’ behavior during earthquakes, subsidence and stability evaluation of Illinois coal mines, and the study of levees due to flooding and soil erosion, among other projects.
The scholarship includes up to $3,000 to be used for specific educational tools and equipment, materials and travel needed to fulfill a thesis/dissertation. As part of the award, Zamiran will present his research results at a future GeoConfluence conference.
Photo: (L-R) Siavash Zamiran, doctoral candidate and GeoConfluence Research Scholarship recipient, Pravin Jha, chairman of the GeoConfluence Research Scholarship Subcommittee, Kord Wissmann, president of Geo-Institute, and Sandeep Goud Burra, scholarship recipient.

The news of ADSCE Award earned by Siavash Zamiran is reflected in SIUE news webpage. The list of winners of 2016-2017 ADSC award is presented here.
The content of the news is provided in the following:
***
"13 October 2016, 9:40 AM
​The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering Cooperative PhD Program in Engineering Science is training the next generation of creative thinkers and innovators who will continue the advancement of the engineering industry.
Graduates of the program receive a doctor of philosophy degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The program’s memorandum of understanding designates SIUE as an approved residence center where coursework can be completed using the SIUE School of Engineering’s state-of-the-art laboratories for research and instruction.
“The goals of this program are to expand the high-quality educational opportunities in the doctoral level to students at SIUE by utilizing the educational resources available at both SIUE and SIUC,” said Keqin Gu, PhD, program director and distinguished research professor in the School of Engineering’s Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.
“Students are especially pleased with the opportunity to work closely with outstanding faculty on the frontiers of engineering and science topics,” he added. “All past graduates of this program are employed as senior level engineers or faculty members at universities.”
Among the 18 students currently enrolled in the program, research assistant Siavash Zamiran has received multiple accolades for his research projects conducted in the SIUE soil laboratory. Zamiran is the 2016 recipient of the International Association of Foundation Drilling’s (ADSC) internationally acclaimed Endowed Civil Engineering Graduate Study Scholarship.
“The receipt of this scholarship is incredibly motivating, as it is well-known in the geotechnical and civil engineering communities,” Zamiran said. “My future professional goal is to continue engineering research with experimental and numerical studies. I would like to be active in different areas of geotechnical engineering in both academic and industrial environments.”
Zamiran’s extensive research activity during his doctoral studies includes the study of retaining walls’ behavior during earthquakes, subsidence and stability evaluation of Illinois coal mines, and the study of levees due to flooding and soil erosion, among other projects.
Abdolreza Osouli, PhD, P.E., assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, serves as Zamiran’s faculty advisor through the cooperative PhD program.
“With Siavash’s motivation, I have been able to direct him to excellent performance in all capacities of teaching, research and professional service,” Osouli said. “Students in this program have opportunities to engage with a multitude of educational and scholarly activities that can be helpful for their future professional careers.
“This program enhances critical thinking and helps the students be self-driven. Consequently, it trains students to be developers of creative ideas in the engineering industry.”
Zamiran will be acknowledged for his receipt of the coveted scholarship during the ADSC annual meeting in February 2017 in Palm Springs, Calif.
Students enrolled in the SIUE and SIUC Cooperative PhD Program may pursue a broad spectrum of engineering disciplines, including civil engineering, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, industrial engineering, and mechanical engineering.
For more information on the program, visit siue.edu/engineering/phd/index.
Photo: (L-R) Abdolreza Osouli, PhD, assistant professor of civil engineering, research assistant Siavash Zamiran, and Keqin Gu, PhD, cooperative PhD program director and distinguished research professor in the SIUE School of Engineering."

St. Louis Chapter of the Geotechnical Institute of ASCE presented Case Histories Seminar on April 16, 2015. Geotechnical professionals in St. Louis Metro area enrolled to this seminar. A presntation of the effects of slurry backfilling on floor and pillar stability of coal mines was presented by Siavash Zamiran.  In this investigation, the effects of slurry backfilling was evaluated on floor and pillar stability in Illinois coal mines.