Computer Science Graduate Student Receives Prestigious CSU Trustees’ Award
For Parnian Shirdast, persistence paved the way to acceptance at a top university in her native Iran. That fortitude also allowed her to navigate personal trials to immigrate to the United States. This can-do attitude eventually enabled the computer science graduate student to pursue her passion for artificial intelligence (AI) through research opportunities at Cal Poly Pomona.
Shirdast’s determination and dedication has been recognized, and she has received a . She will receive $7,000 as the Jose A. and Catherine Gomez Scholar. The CSU trustees award one student from each of the 23 California State University campuses annually based on factors including academic achievement, financial need, excellence in community service and personal hardship.
“I am truly honored to receive this award,” Shirdast said. “I hope that in the future, I will be able to carry this spirit forward and pass on the good deed by supporting others just as I have been supported.”
The Trustees' Awards for Outstanding Achievement is the highest student honor within the CSU and were announced at the September meeting of the Board of Trustees. Chancellor Mildred Garcia lauded Shirdast and the other students for their “extraordinary accomplishments and perseverance.”
“Each of these students has overcome significant personal and educational challenges in pursuit of academic excellence, and it is with great pride that we celebrate their achievements,” Garcia said. “We are also deeply grateful to our generous donors, whose support makes it possible to empower and uplift these exceptional scholars.”
Shirdast is active in research on campus, collaborating with Cal Poly Pomona’s Department of Geography and Anthropology to explore artificial intelligence solutions in the field of precision agriculture.
Computer Science Professor John Korah, who is overseeing Shirdast’s research project, said the award she received is much deserved.
Shirdast serves as a graduate assistant on one of Korah’s research projects funded through the CSU . She is examining how data from satellites and drones can be used to predict the suitability of certain crops. Shirdast is working with undergraduate students on the project.
“She is pretty on-the-dot about everything. She is very team-oriented and willing to help students understand the data,” Korah said. “She is obviously hard-working. If I give her a task, I can be pretty sure that it will get done.”
Before pursuing a graduate degree in computer science, Parnian earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Imam Khomeini International University (IKIU) in Iran. It was a tough road to get into a university in her home country, where the system requires prospective students to pass a highly competitive entrance exam in various subjects. Shirdast studied for several hours daily over the course of a year to prepare for the exam. She ranked in the top 1 percent of students nationwide and was admitted to one of the country’s most prestigious universities.
During her undergraduate years, Shirdast also worked as a classical guitar instructor. Her goal was to introduce the beauty of classical music to children.
“I have always believed that schools and media don’t provide enough exposure to classical music, so I made it my mission to bridge that gap,” she said.
Shirdast immigrated to California in 2022 to continue her career goals. She was inspired by her father, who attended a university in Missouri more than 40 years ago.
“He gave us the idea of going out and experiencing the world like he did,” she said. “My parents have always encouraged me to listen to my heart.”
When Shirdast was navigating the immigration process, her mother and father were battling cancer. She dedicated herself t supporting them in every way she could.”
After Shirdast moved to California, she started looking for graduate schools in Southern California and discovered that ÁùÉ«Íø has one of the best computer science programs.
“I’ve always had this passion for computer programming and computer science,” she said. “After graduating from my university, I focused on building a career in computer engineering by pursuing internships and working on a range of projects. Computer science is something that I could understand. I connected to the logic of it.”
Shirdast said she enjoys the beauty of the campus and the support of professors. After she earns her master’s degree, she plans to pursue a career in AI for environmental and agricultural applications, tapping into technology to solve real-world problems.
“I see AI as a powerful forced that will shape the future,” she said, “making everyday life easier, solving complex problems and opening up opportunities we can’t yet imagine.”