Dr. Manoochehr Shirzaei is a recognized expert in space-borne synthetic aperture radar technology and using satellite, remote sensing and AI technologies to inform groundwater resource management, green energy system development, and developing equitable adaptation strategies to address natural and anthropogenic land subsidence, sea-level rise, and coastal hazards in the context of a changing climate.
As Chief Scientist of the Global Environmental Intelligence Lab at UNU-INWEH, he serves as the Lab’s operational lead. In this role, he provides high-level scientific leadership, oversees the development of innovative environmental intelligence tools, and ensures the generation of impactful, actionable insights for policymakers, communities, and stakeholders worldwide.
Dr. Shirzaei is also an Associate Professor of Radar Remote Sensing Engineering and Environmental Security in the Department of Geosciences and the National Security Institute at Virginia Tech. He has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and abstracts, and has supervised more than 60 postdoctoral researchers, Ph.D., master’s, and undergraduate students.
His work has been recognized with multiple awards from the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. National Science Foundation, and Virginia Tech, including the Virginia Tech Research Excellence and Innovation Award.
Dr. Shirzaei has served as a member of both the NASA Sea Level Change Science Team and the NASA GRACE Satellite Science Team. He also contributes to the Southern California Earthquake Center Geodesy Committee, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Coastal Flood Modeling Team, and represents the United States on the UNESCO Land Subsidence International Initiative.