Rate My Professor Jalal Torabzadeh

Professor Jalal Torabzadeh serves as Chair of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department and Coordinator of the Mechanical and Petroleum Engineering programs at California State University, Long Beach. He holds a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Abadan Institute of Technology in Iran, an M.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1980, and a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1984. Before joining CSULB in 1986 to launch the petroleum engineering program as Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, he taught and conducted research at USC for two years. Earlier, he worked as a Reservoir Engineer with the National Iranian Oil Company and as a Research Engineer for Chevron Oilfield Research Company. Throughout his career, he has consulted for numerous national and international companies and government agencies. He has also served for 16 years on the Academic Senate and its councils, committees, and task forces, and participated in nearly all College of Engineering and department committees.

Dr. Torabzadeh's research interests include thermodynamics, heat transfer, transport processes in porous media, hydrocarbon reservoir engineering and characterization, enhanced oil and gas recovery processes, thermal/fluid laboratory methods, environmental engineering, water resources, and remediation of contaminated soil. He has been principal or co-principal investigator on projects funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Southern California Gas Company, and Chevron Petroleum Technology Company. A recognized expert in enhanced oil and gas recovery, he has authored or co-authored more than 30 technical papers and textbook chapters. His excellence in teaching and leadership has been honored with the CSULB Hung Family College of Engineering Outstanding Teaching Award, TRW Excellence in Teaching Award, Associated Engineering Student Body Distinguished Faculty Award, OCEC Outstanding Engineering Educator Award, SPE Distinguished Service Award, OCEC Distinguished Engineering Educator Award, Nicholas Perkins Hardeman Academic Leadership Award in 2013, SPEI Distinguished Member designation, and Fellowship in the Institute for the Advancement of Engineering. He is an active member of ASEE, SPE, SPWLA, SCA, Sigma Xi, Tau Beta Pi, Pi Epsilon Tau, and Pi Tau Sigma, and serves on the Board of Directors of LASPE and LACES.