News Article

Dr. Farhad Moeeni is Professor of Operations and Information Systems, and the Founder of Data Automation Laboratory at Arkansas State University. Dr. Moeeni has been a pioneer of integrating data automation technologies into the CIS curriculum.

Farhad Moeeni

Place of birth:

Tehran, Iran

Family:

My lovely family I call "my pack": Maryam (wife) and three daughters (all graduated from A-State), sons-in-law and 8 grandkids.

What makes a good professor?

The intrinsic joy of sharing what you know with students. Challenging students sufficiently so they discover their limits. Stimulating and obliging students to think and develop the habit and courage of questioning the common beliefs. Lastly, linking the subject matter to the much broader topics of life and humanity (not easy as it may sound).

A perfect day is...

Being surrounded by all "my pack."

What I like about Jonesboro is...

In ten minutes you are there; it is also beautifully green.

Your philosophy on education in seven words:

Not being afraid of trying new ideas.

If you could teach another field, which one and why?

Astronomy – understanding the mysteries of the universe is intriguing.

What makes for a good student?

How about calling them learners instead? Curiosity is a blessing.

What’s the value of a university education?

Let’s think beyond the life-long income advantage as pundits always refer to. I believe university education should increase the dimensionality of students’ perspective of the world.

What music is playing in your car?

Johnny Cash

Why did you choose A-State?

It happened in an unusual but interesting way. When I was a doctoral candidate at the University of Arizona, I unexpectedly received a phone interview and an invitation for a campus visit from the management department chair at A-State who received my vitae from another source. I'm still here a quarter of a century later.

The best advice I ever received was...

my father said “Loss caused by truth is better than gain made by lie.”

My hobby is...

bicycling and motorcycling.

What are you working on right now?

Currently working on a prototype of the model that my student and I developed in the lab and received a utility patent through A-State. Through simulation, I am also working with other colleagues to understand how providing information influences human decisions in queuing systems.

Before you retire I want to...

do something of value for humanity.

My favorite trip was...

spending a month in Czech Republic, especially the beautiful Prague (one of the rare cities in Europe that were not bombed during WWII) last summer; lots of tasty sausages, cheese and other stuff.

If I could travel anywhere it would be...

Central America.

Four people I’d take to coffee...

Actually, I’d like to take five: Pope Francis, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Ben Franklin and Jalal Ed-din Rumi.

My passion is...

letting someone else do my taxes.

My favorite meal is...

chelo kabob, which is a Persian rice with grilled, marinated lamb or beef and butter.

Beach or mountains?

Both... a wooded mountain overseeing a beach.

I wish I could...

swim well.

Only my friends know I...

Let’s keep it that way! Answering it negates the question.

My favorite saying is...

“I learned nothing from those who always agreed with me” by Ali Shariati.