Zandiatashbar, Ahoura
Preferred: Ahoura.zandiatashbar@sjsu.edu
Education
- 2019 Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Public Policy
University of Texas at Arlington
- 2014 Master of Science in Architecture
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- 2011 Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering
Shiraz Azad University
Bio
Dr. Ahoura Zandi(atashbar) is an Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at San José State University (SJSU), where he wears multiple hats. He serves as the founding director for theSpatial Analytics and Visualization Institute (SAVI) and Master of Science in Geographic Informtion Science (MS GISc) program; while in role of a program advisor, he offers guidance to graduate students in the Geography and Geographic Information Science programs within the Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
At SJSU, Dr. Zandi focuses his research on the application of geospatial analytical techniques to map high-tech zones across the United States. He delves into understanding how urban form influences the equitable and robust knowledge economy and innovation productivity of small firms. His research findings have found homes in esteemed journals such as the Journal of Planning Education and Research, the Journal of Urban Studies, and Cities. Additionally, he has shared his insights through over 20 presentations and talks.
Dr. Zandi authored the "Urban High-Technology Zones" book, which employs advanced geospatial data-driven techniques to provide quantitative measures on the social, environmental, and economic impacts of high-tech clusters.
Before his tenure at SJSU, Dr. Zandi served as a Clinical Assistant Professor of geospatial data analysis at the Urban Data Visualization Lab (UDVL) at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There, he played a pivotal role as the primary instructor for Geospatial Technology courses and contributed significantly to the development of projects like the Illinois Map The Count 2020, Illinois COVID-19 Vulnerability, and Chicago’s Tap Water web-maps.
Dr. Zandi's accolades include the People’s Choice Best Research Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, the First Place Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency in the 2015 Campus RainWorks Challenge, and recognition for his research's practical applications in shaping cities and policies, as noted by entities such as the Office of the Governor of Illinois and D Magazine.