Ali Akbar Jalali
Encyclopedia
Ali Akbar Jalali best known as Dr. Jalali, is an Iran
ian professor
and author
. He is most recognizable from a series of radio and television appearances in which he would promote the use of Internet and IT technology in Iran.
, May 1985.
In 1985, Dr. Jalali moved to the U.S. to pursue his education. He received his M.S.c. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma
in May 1988.
He sequentially earned his Ph.D. and Post Doctoral in Electrical Engineering, from West Virginia University
in 1993 and 1994 respectively. Dr. Jalali is an Adjunct Professor in LCSEE from April 2002 and at the same time he is an associate professor at the Iran University of Science and Technology
(IUST).
Dr. Jalali does not hold a degree in Computers, but because of his high involvement in IT and ICT efforts he is considered a leading expert on these issues.
where he advises many students on the Graduate and Undergraduate level.
Dr. Jalali is especially noted for his more than 1300 popular workshops, seminars, lectures and speeches, on science and technology, on the National and International level and for his appearances on National Radio and Television programs, since 1994.
He was the director of Electronic Research Center at IUST from 1998–2007, where he has accomplished numerous research projects and contracts for governmental institutions as well as the private sector. Most of these projects have been in the area of e-learning, e-commerce, e-government, e-banking and especially extending ICT applications to rural areas.
Dr. Jalali was director of three major national ICT projects: Electronic Cities, Electronic Villages, National Master Plan for Rural ICT, Developing ten thousands Rural ICT Teleservice Centers in Iran, and creating Master Plan for ICT Development in Mazandaran Province.
He was also director of the first Persian-based Learning Management System (LMS) software, developed for the Ministry of Education in Iran. Dr. Jalali is author of numerous papers and several books in the area of science and technology: Electronic Cities, Electronic Village, Application Service Provider (ASP), E-Learning Dictionary which is published through contract for Ministry of Education are some sample of his recent books. One of his latest book, “Reduced Order Systems,” that has potential applications for space exploration has been published by Springer Publisher in US since 2006.
Dr. Jalali is founder and director of the first Internet and Electronic City in Kish, director of IT master plan for Mashhad Electronic City, founder of the first Rural Telecenter in remote village of Gharnabad which received great attention at the national and international level, and founder of the first Internet village, Shahkooh, in Iran. Shahkooh had become one of the top news reports for Associated Press, USA Today, Yahoo, Washington Post and CNN from 4th to 6 July 2002.
International Center for Engineering Education (UICEE) and The Asia Pacific Center of Educational Innovation for Development (ACEID). He is an ICT consular for representative UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office, covering Iran
, Afghanistan
, Pakistan
and Turkmenistan
. He is also a member of the executive board for Iran Information and Communication Technology Association and a member of executive board for Iranian Association for Studies on Information Society.
The vision of Shahkooh is to increase computer knowledge of the resident so that all of them can use computers and the Internet, then to be converted into the Iran IT Center. In the village, Internet and computer training courses are organized in all age levels with the cooperation of faculty community members. Each year, at least 400 villagers learn computer basics in Shahkooh. No other Iranian village have progressed as far as Shahkooh, 240 miles northeast of Tehran, in tapping the Internet's potential to widen its horizons.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. He is most recognizable from a series of radio and television appearances in which he would promote the use of Internet and IT technology in Iran.
Early life
Dr. Jalali was born in Shahrood, Semnan, the son of Lili and Hossein Jalali. He grew up with six siblings and had a modest life with their father's pay as a railroad technician.Education
Dr. Jalali received his B.S.c. in Electronics Engineering from K.N.Toosi University of TechnologyK.N.Toosi University of Technology
Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology , is a public university in Tehran, Iran, named after medieval Persian scholar Khajeh Nasir Toosi.-History:...
, May 1985.
In 1985, Dr. Jalali moved to the U.S. to pursue his education. He received his M.S.c. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
in May 1988.
He sequentially earned his Ph.D. and Post Doctoral in Electrical Engineering, from West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
in 1993 and 1994 respectively. Dr. Jalali is an Adjunct Professor in LCSEE from April 2002 and at the same time he is an associate professor at the Iran University of Science and Technology
Iran University of Science and Technology
The Iran University of Science and Technology is a research institution and university of engineering and science in Iran, offering both undergraduate and postgraduate studies...
(IUST).
Dr. Jalali does not hold a degree in Computers, but because of his high involvement in IT and ICT efforts he is considered a leading expert on these issues.
Career
Currently Dr. Jalali is a Professor at Iran University of Science and TechnologyIran University of Science and Technology
The Iran University of Science and Technology is a research institution and university of engineering and science in Iran, offering both undergraduate and postgraduate studies...
where he advises many students on the Graduate and Undergraduate level.
Dr. Jalali is especially noted for his more than 1300 popular workshops, seminars, lectures and speeches, on science and technology, on the National and International level and for his appearances on National Radio and Television programs, since 1994.
He was the director of Electronic Research Center at IUST from 1998–2007, where he has accomplished numerous research projects and contracts for governmental institutions as well as the private sector. Most of these projects have been in the area of e-learning, e-commerce, e-government, e-banking and especially extending ICT applications to rural areas.
Dr. Jalali was director of three major national ICT projects: Electronic Cities, Electronic Villages, National Master Plan for Rural ICT, Developing ten thousands Rural ICT Teleservice Centers in Iran, and creating Master Plan for ICT Development in Mazandaran Province.
He was also director of the first Persian-based Learning Management System (LMS) software, developed for the Ministry of Education in Iran. Dr. Jalali is author of numerous papers and several books in the area of science and technology: Electronic Cities, Electronic Village, Application Service Provider (ASP), E-Learning Dictionary which is published through contract for Ministry of Education are some sample of his recent books. One of his latest book, “Reduced Order Systems,” that has potential applications for space exploration has been published by Springer Publisher in US since 2006.
Dr. Jalali is founder and director of the first Internet and Electronic City in Kish, director of IT master plan for Mashhad Electronic City, founder of the first Rural Telecenter in remote village of Gharnabad which received great attention at the national and international level, and founder of the first Internet village, Shahkooh, in Iran. Shahkooh had become one of the top news reports for Associated Press, USA Today, Yahoo, Washington Post and CNN from 4th to 6 July 2002.
Committees
Dr. Jalali is a member of the IEEE and Iranian Society of Instrument & Control Engineering (ISCI). He also was member of UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
International Center for Engineering Education (UICEE) and The Asia Pacific Center of Educational Innovation for Development (ACEID). He is an ICT consular for representative UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office, covering Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
. He is also a member of the executive board for Iran Information and Communication Technology Association and a member of executive board for Iranian Association for Studies on Information Society.
Projects
Dr. Jalali has been the driving force for many important IT and ICT projects implemented inside Iran.Shahkooh The first Iranian Internet Village
Shahkooh is a small village located in the heart of the Alborz mountains which is connected to the city of Gorgan from the north and to the city of Shahrood from the east. Shahkooh is the first Internet village in Iran and has become one of the top news reports for Associated Press, USA today, Yahoo, Washington Post and CNN from 4th to 6 July 2002.The vision of Shahkooh is to increase computer knowledge of the resident so that all of them can use computers and the Internet, then to be converted into the Iran IT Center. In the village, Internet and computer training courses are organized in all age levels with the cooperation of faculty community members. Each year, at least 400 villagers learn computer basics in Shahkooh. No other Iranian village have progressed as far as Shahkooh, 240 miles northeast of Tehran, in tapping the Internet's potential to widen its horizons.
Fourth Wave of Change Theory and Rural ICT Center
Dr. Jalali has more than 14 years of experience in the field of Science and Information Technology in various disciplines. He is well-known for his theory "Virtual Age the fourth wave of change" and for his activities towards the development of ICT and its applications in Iran. Dr. Jalali is among top IT experts in Iran. He has received National Award from Ministry of Cultural for the best translated book of the year "Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)", in the field of computer, 2001. Also Dr. Jalali has received National Award for the best researcher of year in the field of Information Technology in Iran, from 2nd Internet and Telephone card Festival, 2004. He is the winner on the best creativity and innovation of the 2007 eASIA Award category – Bridging Digital Divide for his project “The First Rural ICT Center in Iran Gharnabad Village”.External links
- http://www.drjalali.ir Official Persian Website
- http://www.csee.wvu.edu/~jalali Dr. Jalali's Homepage at WVU
- http://www.iust.ac.ir/find.php?item=35.2708.2851.fa Dr. Jalali's Homepage at IUST