Education

• Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering (2021-2025 (Expected)) University of Nebraska- Lincoln Topic of Dissertation: Deep Learning-Based Tornado-Induced Tree-Fall Detection and Assessment 

• M.S.c in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering (2016-2018) University of Tabriz Topic of Thesis: Study of guardrail system with steel block-out and a suggested elastomer block-out 

• B.S.c in Civil Engineering (2012-2016) University of Tabriz Topic of Final Project: Spiral staircase design

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENT 

• Graduate Teaching Assistant (2023-2025) University of Nebraska- Lincoln 

• Graduate Research Assistant (2021-2025) University of Nebraska- Lincoln 

• Graduate Research Assistant (2016-2018) University of Tabriz 

RESEARCH INTERESTS 

• Tornado Damage Assessment using Remote Sensing 

• Image Processing and Deep Learning 

• Bridge and structural Engineering 

• Geospatial Analysis 

PROJECTS 

• Assessing Tree-fall Method for After Tornado Assessment (2022-2025) Funded by: National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Northern Tornado Project Outcome/s: A journal paper, three papers in preparation, five presentations, nine poster presentations, and an open-source software developed

• Shallow River Ice Flow Impacts on Critical Infrastructure (2022-2023) Funded by: Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Outcome/s: A technical report 

• Slope Stability on Highway (2021-2022) Funded by: Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Outcome/s: A journal paper and a report 

• Iowa 2020 Derecho Effect on Cornfields (2021-2022) Funded by: National Science Foundation (NSF) 

• Nebraska Outdoor Bridge Laboratory (NOBL) (2021-2022) Funded by: Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Outcome/s: A technical report and a journal paper. 

• Prediction of Scour at Bridges in Nebraska Infrastructure (2021-2022) Funded by: Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Outcome/s: A technical report 

• Assessing Railroad Bridge Safety with Lasers and Drones (2020-2021) Funded by: Transportation Research Board (TRB) Outcome/s: A journal paper, a conference poster presentation 

• Study of Guardrail Systems with a Steel Block-out and an Elastomer Block-out (2016-2018) Funded by: University of Tabriz Outcome/s: Master thesis, a conference paper, and a presentation

HONORS AND AWARDS 

• Nebraska Section ASCE Student Support for Transportation Engineers Fellowship, 2025–2026 

• First place at University Libraries' GIS map competition, University of Nebraska, 2024 

• Awarded a grant to participate in the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Conference, Baltimore, 2024 

• Mid-America Transportation Center (MATC) travel award to participate in the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Conference, Washington, 2024 

• Awarded travel support to attend the Tornado Hazard Wind Assessment and ReducTion Symposium (Thwarts), University of Illinois- Champaign, 2023 

• First place at the 4th annual College of Engineering (COE) Graduate Symposium poster competition, University of Nebraska, 2023 

• AMIGO scholarship UNM, 2020 

• Ranked 3rd out of 35 students during the Master of Science, 2018 

• Recipient of a full scholarship for master’s studies at the University of Tabriz, awarded based on performance in the entrance exam, 2016 

• Recipient of a full scholarship for bachelor’s studies at the University of Tabriz, awarded based on performance in the entrance exam, 2012

PUBLICATIONS 

• Wood, R.L., Admiraal, D.M., Roy, T., Laiwal, G.A., Nasimi, M. and Pokharel, S., 2024. Shallow River Ice Flow Impacts on Critical Infrastructure (No. 25-1121-0005-004-58). University of NebraskaLincoln. Mid-America Transportation Center. 3 

• Nasimi, M., and Wood, R.L., 2024. Using Deep Learning and Advanced Image Processing for the Automated Estimation of Tornado-Induced Treefall. Remote Sensing, 16(7), p.3417. 

• Song, C.R., Wood, R.L., Abualshar, B, Al-Nimri, B., O’Brien, M. and Nasimi, M., 2023. Erosion Resistant Rock Shoulder. Applied Sciences, 13(6), p.1130. 

• Song, C.R., Wood, R.L., Bekele, B., Glennie, N., Silvey, A. and Nasimi, M., 2023. A Comparison of Surface Deformation Measurement Methods for Slopes. Nebraska. Department of Transportation. 

• Bolhasan, A., Wood, R.L., Abualshar, B., Wittich, C.E., Song, C.R., Guo, J., Mohammadi, M.E., Nasimi, M. and Liao, Y., 2022. Data-Driven Prioritization and Empirical Predictions for Bridge Scour in Nebraska (No. M104). Nebraska. Department of Transportation. 

• Wood, R.L., Nasimi, M., Yang, B., Wittich, C.E., Steelman, J.S., Puckett, J.A., Linzell, D.G., Zhu, J. and Mohammadi, M.E., 2022. Outdoor Laboratory and Testbed for Bridge Health (No. M107). 

• Nasimi, R., Moreu, F., Nasimi, M. and Wood, R., 2022. Developing Enhanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Sensing System for Practical Bridge Inspections Using Field Experiments. Transportation Research Record, 2676(6), pp.514-522. 

REVIEWER 

• Transportation Research Record (TRR) Reviewer for 2025 and 2024 TRB (Transportation Research Board) Conference, 2024 and 2023

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND OUTREACH ACTIVITY 

• Developing an open-source software to estimate treefall vectors and generate the wind direction map, ASCE, Treefall chapter 

• Member of the standing committee at Transportation Research Board (TRB) on seismic design and performance of bridges (AKB50), 2024-2025 

• Student Assistant in conference coordination of American Meteorological Society (AMS) Conference, Baltimore, 2023 

• Member of the standing committee at Transportation Research Board (TRB) on rail safety (AR070), 2023-2025 

• Judging undergraduate students’ poster sessions, UNL research days, UNL, Spring 2022 

• UNL engineering open house for high school students, 2022 and 2023 

• Coordinating team member in the 10’th International Congress on Civil Engineering (ICCE), University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran, 2015