The Fariborz Maseeh Story

On September 27, 2023, The University of Texas at Austin and the Cockrell School of Engineering celebrated the official naming of the Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering in recognition of Fariborz Maseeh’s transformational gift to the department. The legacy of this contribution will be realized through the achievement of CAEE students and future alumni as they develop world changing innovations that will address civilization’s most pressing issues, now and in the decades to come.

Maseeh was born in Iran and immigrated to the United States as a teenager. He received a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University and went on to pursue a master’s degree in civil engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. Although the Iranian Revolution and the need to be with his family interrupted his studies at UT Austin, he was named a Distinguished Engineering Graduate of the Cockrell School in 2011 and finally received his M.S. in civil engineering. In the meantime, he got his Ph.D. from MIT.

Maseeh is the managing principal at Surlamer Investments and The Massiah Foundation. He founded IntelliSense Corp., which was acquired by Corning in 2000. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2023 for his achievements in efficient design, development of microelectromechanical systems and public service.

Maseeh believes that engineering is in an era of “tiny things,” characterized by rapid development in semiconducting, AI and microprocessing. The future of engineering, however, will necessitate big-picture thinking to meet the challenges of tomorrow – challenges such as the impacts of climate change, resource equity and outdated infrastructure.

Through the resources and educational experiences made possible by his transformational gift, Maseeh will shape the future of CAEE at the Cockrell School, ensuring that generations of engineers are prepared to meet the world’s biggest problems head-on.