nature

About me

I am currently a Ph.D. student in the Deparment of Mathematics at Simon Fraser University, working my supervisors Dr. John Stockie and Dr. Ailene MacPherson. I defended my MSc in Applied Mathematics in the Department of Mathematics at the Simon Fraser University, BC, Canada 2022. And completed my BSc in Computer Science in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Faculty at the AmirKabir University of Technology (Tehran Polyhechnic), Tehran, Iran in 2019.
defence

Picture of MS.c. defence session on December, 2022.

Short CV

Education
  • Master of Science in Applied Mathematics, Simon Fraser University, Canada.
  • Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, AmirKabir University of Technology, Iran.
Research
  • MS.c. thesis "Computational Study of 2D jellyfish with the Immersed Boundary Method"
  • BS.c. project "Cardinality Optimization"
Teaching
  • Teaching assistant for mathematics of sports (MATH 303), SFU, Fall 2022
  • Teaching assistant for numerical analysis (MACM 316), SFU, Fall 2021
  • Teaching assistant for applied calculus, SFU, 2021-2022
Honors
  • Awarded certificate with distinction in recognition of the mathematical sophistication, originality, and significance of the thesis and defence presented on December, 2022
  • Awarded GPS graduate fellowship by Simon Fraser University on Fall 2021.
  • Ranked among the top 5 percent of all Iranian student in the "National Universities Enterence Exam" in Mathematics and Physics branch, 2014.
  • Ranked among the top 5 percent of all Iranian student in the "National Universities Enterence Exam" in Foreign Languages branch, 2014.

Research

As a PhD student, my research interests are focused on the intersection of epidemiology, evolutionary biology, and computational fluid dynamics. In particular, I'm investigating bark beetle infestations, which are a major threat to forest ecosystems worldwide. My work involves examining the dynamics of the host trees using computational fluid dynamics approaches, which allows me to model how the beetles move and interact with the trees. Additionally, I'm creating a new model to depict bark beetle outbreaks and refining the assumptions made in earlier literature studies. By evaluating the severity of various parameters, I hope to gain insights into how to limit the outbreak of these destructive pests. Finally, I'm examining issues related to evolution and local adaptation in the context of bark beetle infestations. My research is multi-disciplinary in nature, with applications to a wide range of fields, and I'm excited to contribute to our understanding of these important ecological issues.
During my Master of Science program, I conducted research on the swimming and feeding dynamics of jellyfish using numerical simulations. Jellyfish are known to possess highly efficient methods of movement, making them a fascinating model organism for biologists. Using the immersed boundary method, I investigated the fluid-structure interaction between a 2D model of a swimming jellyfish and its surrounding fluid, with a focus on jet-like swimming observed in prolate jellies. Through my simulations, I was able to demonstrate that a power-law dependence derived for undulatory swimmers extends naturally to jellyfish using jetting propulsion. I also investigated the feeding technique used by jetting swimmers, which involves exploiting trailing vortices generated by bell contractions to redirect passive prey into their bell interior. Finally, I explored pair-wise interactions between jellyfish, where nearby swimmers generate repulsion forces and turning responses. My research lays the groundwork for future computational simulations of jellyfish swarms, and contributes to our understanding of the fluid dynamics underlying the remarkable performance of these creatures.

Contact

mahdi_salehzadeh[at]sfu[dot]ca

BLU 9402 (Blusson Hall)

Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University,
8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada