Fireside Chats Episode VII

About the Speakers

Dr. Soroosh Sorooshian

Soroosh Sorooshian is a Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth System Science departments and Founding Director of the Center for Hydrometeorology & Remote Sensing (CHRS) at UC Irvine. He is a Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE); International Academy of Astronautics (IAA); The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS); Foreign member, European Academy of Sciences (EURASC) and foreign member, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He is a Fellow of AGU, AMS, AAAS and IUGG.

Other honors: NASA Distinguished Public Service Medalist; Bowie Medal, AGU 2025;Walter Langbein Lecture, AGU 2024; Doctor Honoris Causa, Universite de Montpellier 2023; Hagler Fellow, University of Texas College Park TX, 2023; American Society of Civil Engineers -Environmental & Water Resources Institute (ASCE-EWRI); Honorary Member, American Meteorological Society (AMS), 2022; Hydrological Sciences Medalist, American Meteorological Society (AMS), 2021; Lifetime Achievement Award, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC) Society 2018.  Recipient of the 2017 Ven Te Chow Award of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE); Einstein Professorship of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize; AGU’s Horton Medalist; AMS Hydrological Sciences Medalist and Honorary Member.

Dr. Noshir Contractor

Noshir Contractor is the Jane S. & William J. White Professor of Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University. He investigates how networks form and perform. He is a Distinguished Scholar of the National Communication Association, the Executive Director of the Web Science Trust, and is a Fellow of the Academy of Management, the International Communication Association, the Network Science Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Association for Computing Machinery. He is a recipient of the Simmel Award from INSNA. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. His Ph.D. is from the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Southern California.

About the Moderators

Rayhan Guard

Rayhan Guard is a high school junior from Chicago’s western suburbs. He is a youth leader at the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago (ZAMC), contributing his time to community engagement, fundraising, and technology advancements. His involvement has included helping and raising money for different non-profit organizations, conducting an interview for FEZANA’s Intergenerational Oral History project, and contributing to FEZANA’s nationwide library project (FIRES). Rayhan has had the chance to work with others in his community and learn more about the religion, stories, and history around him. Outside of the Zoroastrian community, Rayhan plays volleyball for both his school and travel team. He is also passionate about photography, running his own freelance venture, and enjoys capturing memorable moments for others. Rayhan also spends time volunteering at a local hospital.

Kasra Hoor

Kasra Hoor is a high school senior currently residing in Southern California with a passion for engineering, leadership, and community involvement. He serves as the President of his school’s First Tech Challenge Robotics team, where he leads a team of more than 20 students while contributing to mechanical design, software tuning, and community outreach. Outside of STEM, Kasra is actively involved in the Zoroastrian community and is passionate about passing on the faith to newer generations. He volunteers at his community Temple/Zoroastrian Center where he helps coordinate community events. He participated in FEZANA’s Intergenerational Oral History Project where he interviewed his father about experiences growing up in Iran, immigrating to the United States, and maintaining/strengthening his Zoroastrian identity. Kasra hopes to pursue mechanical engineering in college to continue his interests in technology, mechanical design, and STEM.

Cyrus Darki

Cyrus Darki is a high school senior from the Chicagoland area. He is an active member of the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago (ZAMC) and strives to understand his Zoroastrian faith on a deeper level. Cyrus is involved in scientific research and youth leadership, serving on the Illinois Junior Academy of Science Student Board. He also founded the Hinsdale Science Academy, where he mentors younger students as they develop and present original research projects. Outside of his community involvement, Cyrus is a competitive tennis player and a classically trained pianist for more than ten years. He also works as an instructor at his local Mathnasium, helping students build confidence in mathematics. In college, Cyrus hopes to study applied mathematics and statistics and continue combining analytical problem-solving with service, mentorship, and community leadership.