2015 was quite a year for Nakisa Alborz. As an assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Technology, she was honored with the Technical Excellence Award by the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering. And prior to the fall semester, she was named the chair of the new Department of Interdisciplinary Engineering.
Professor Nakisa Alborz
“I think that Professor Alborz is the perfect person to lead the department,” says Fred Driscoll, dean of the College of Engineering and Technology. “She has a strong vision and it’s exactly what our students need to be successful.”
A 2004 graduate of Wentworth’s Engineering Technology program, Alborz earned a Master of Science degree in project construction management and a Ph.D. in civil engineering , both from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
“Students need to be dynamic and adapt to changing industry requirements,” Alborz says. “They need to be able to function differently and cannot work in silos anymore. A degree in interdisciplinary engineering allows them to try different things and gain a varied set of skills for the working world. Having a varied skillset is critical in engineering.”
In the near future, Alborz hopes to add more studyabroad opportunities for students in her department while also increasing the number of women and minorities in engineering through community outreach. She also plans to increase the number of concentrations offered through the department, and work closer with external collaborators.
—Greg Abazorius
