Ali Haghizadeh | Hydrological modelling | Best Scholar Award

Prof Dr. Ali Haghizadeh | Hydrological modelling | Best Scholar Award

Lorestan university | Iran

Author Profile

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Suitability Summary

Prof. Dr. Ali Haghizadeh is a distinguished figure in the field of Water Resources Engineering, with a career that exemplifies academic leadership, innovation, and impact. With over 110 publications (including 80+ SCI/Scopus-indexed papers), he has made notable contributions in hydrological modeling, climate change adaptation, and AI-driven flood prediction. His work has directly shaped Iran’s National Water Management Plan, offering real-world solutions to water crises affecting over 2 million people. As the founder of the Faculty of Natural Resources at Lorestan University, he demonstrates exceptional capability not only in research but also in institution-building and interdisciplinary collaboration.

🎓 Education & Experience

Prof. Haghizadeh earned his Ph.D. in Water Resources Engineering from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in 2011, and currently serves as a Full Professor at Lorestan University (2024–present). With over 15 years of academic experience, he has supervised more than 100 graduate theses and led 12+ national and institutional research projects. His vision led to the establishment of four new academic departments and specialized laboratories, playing a pivotal role in advancing higher education and applied sciences in environmental and water-related disciplines.

📜 Professional Development

Throughout his career, Prof. Haghizadeh has demonstrated a strong commitment to professional growth and academic leadership. He serves as a Guest Editor for the journal Water Resources Management, overseeing a special issue on AI in Hydrology. He holds memberships in esteemed organizations such as the Iranian Hydrology Association and the International Water Resources Association (IWRA). As a Technical Advisor to Iran’s National Water Management Plan, he has actively bridged the gap between research and policy, collaborating with key agencies like the Department of Environmental Protection, Regional Water Company, and the Fisheries Organization. His international collaborations include joint research with UNESCO-GEF and his alma mater, UPM Malaysia.

🔬 Research Focus

Prof. Haghizadeh’s research lies at the intersection of hydrology, artificial intelligence, and climate resilience. His core areas include hydrological modeling, flood risk assessment, groundwater sustainability, and AI/ML in water resources. His impactful projects include:

  • AI-Based Flood Prediction in the Lorestan Basin

  • Groundwater Vulnerability Mapping using entropy models

  • Evaporation Estimation for Lake Kharkheh using deep learning (LSTM, CNN, RNN) and SEBAL on Google Earth Engine

  • Water Valuation in Semi-Arid Regions and Evaporation Mitigation using hexagonal floating covers
    His work is widely cited, with 2,307+ citations on Google Scholar (h-index: 18) and 1,586 citations on Scopus (h-index: 14). He has published in top-tier journals such as Science of The Total Environment, Water, Geocarto International, and Natural Hazards, with over 30+ Q1 journal articles.

🏆 Honors & Awards

Prof. Haghizadeh has been recognized as a University Distinguished Research Professor and was listed among the highly cited researchers of 2022 by Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science). He has published 2 academic books (with ISBN), and is actively involved in patent development. He is applying for the Distinguished Scientist Award and the Best Researcher Award. His legacy includes the creation of four new academic departmentsWatershed, Forestry, Fisheries, and Environmental Sciences—and the launch of four dedicated laboratories, strengthening research infrastructure in Iran. His leadership in both academic development and industry collaboration has made a measurable difference in water policy, environmental protection, and graduate education.

📖Publications

Evaluation of different machine learning models for predicting and mapping the susceptibility of gully erosion

Authors: O. Rahmati, N. Tahmasebipour, A. Haghizadeh, H.R. Pourghasemi, …

Journal: Geomorphology

Year: 2017

Gully erosion susceptibility mapping: the role of GIS-based bivariate statistical models and their comparison

Authors: O. Rahmati, A. Haghizadeh, H.R. Pourghasemi, F. Noormohamadi

Journal: Natural Hazards

Year: 2016

Delineation of groundwater potential zones using remote sensing and GIS-based data-driven models

Authors: S. Ghorbani Nejad, F. Falah, M. Daneshfar, A. Haghizadeh, O. Rahmati

Journal: Geocarto International

Year: 2017

 Evaluating the influence of geo-environmental factors on gully erosion in a semi-arid region of Iran: An integrated framework

Authors: O. Rahmati, N. Tahmasebipour, A. Haghizadeh, H.R. Pourghasemi, …

Journal: Science of the Total Environment

Year: 2017

Spatial prediction of flood-susceptible areas using frequency ratio and maximum entropy models

Authors: S. Siahkamari, A. Haghizadeh, H. Zeinivand, N. Tahmasebipour, O. Rahmati

Journal: Geocarto International

Year: 2018