Student Spotlight: Shahab Mousavi
September 20, 2021
Meet Shahab Mousavi
Incoming PhD student
HOMETOWN
Between London, Ontario, Canada & Tehran, Iran
PLACE LIVED PRIOR TO STANFORD
Tehran, Iran
ALMAE MATRES
Sharif University of Technology
Stanford University
DEGREES AND MAJORS
MSCS in Civil Engineering and Computer Engineering (dual degree)
Work and academic experiences
Prior to my starting on a MS&E PhD, I've studied civil engineering and computer engineering and done research on the applications of agent-based modeling in simulating the public response to energy conservation policies and the practical applications of blockchain technology in the insurance industry. I've been fortunate to conduct research on NoDB systems at EPFL and delve into AI and deep learning during my MSCS at Stanford, granting me a better sense of the tools at hand and instilling in me a desire to purposefully apply them to our everyday lives.
Impact you hope to have in your field and the world
I'm broadly interested in the applications of technology to the betterment of society and creating an enhanced lived experience for us all. Luckily, this interest has led me to join the STVP program, where I've found so many people who share the same values and run programs aligned with this goal that I'm excited to start! Post-PhD, I hope to pursue a career in which I can both contribute to my field academically and support upcoming academics & entrepreneurs on their own journey to find their unique way to improve the world and support the next generation of students in the field.
Interests and hobbies
Outside of school, I'm a nature lover who enjoys a panoply of outdoor activities, from going on spontaneous treks in the wilderness to biking around in Palo Alto. I'm a food lover who just can’t say no to embarking on new culinary experiences, and a geography geek who considers a map to be a feast for the eyes. I'm fascinated by history, political science, environmental sciences, psychology & applied behavior analysis, and finding optimal ways for utilizing the tools we have at hand in the public interest, spending a disproportionate amount of time reading up on related topics.