On November 15, 2025, the SUTA West Coast Chapters hosted a full-day celebration marking 60 years of SUT/AMUT and 25 years of SUTA. The program took place across two venues—Plug and Play Tech Center in Sunnyvale for the daytime sessions and the Santa Clara Convention Center for the evening gala—bringing together SUTA members, Sharif (AryaMehr) University of Technology alumni, faculty, staff, families, and friends.
More than 160 attendees participated in a vibrant day of learning, reflection, connection, and celebration. The event aimed to share the university’s story—how it began, how its alumni continue to shape the future, and how they are overcoming challenges. It fostered innovation, strengthened engagement among younger graduates, and deepened connections across generations.
Day Program Highlights
Plug and Play Tech Center, Sunnyvale
The day opened with check-in and networking, followed by remarks from Fariba Aria (President of SUTA) and Saeed Amidi (CEO of Plug and Play Tech Center).
This program continued as follow:
Keynote Fireside Chat
“The Sharif Impact: From Tehran to Global Tech Leadership”: A keynote conversation with Babak Hodjat (Chief AI Officer at Cognizant), moderated by Mohsen Hejrati (AI/ML Tech Lead at Apple, Founder, and Rare Disease Advocate), highlighted Hodjat’s personal journey and the foundational role of Sharif University in shaping his career.
History of the University Panel
Moderated by Saied Nesbat (entrepreneur), this panel featured:
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Dr. Zarghamee (former president)
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Dr. Partovi (former professor)
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Dr. Nivi (former instructor)
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Ladan Behnia (former student)
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Mani Sharbang (former student)
The speakers shared firsthand reflections on the university’s evolution, culture, and legacy.
Surprise Guest
The popular alumnus Adel Ferdosipour virtually joined after the university history panel to share a few words on the occasion of the university’s 60th anniversary.
Professional Development Roundtables
Participants joined these breakout discussions:
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How Alumni Can Support the Next Generation
Moderator: Bahram Zahir (Data Scientist, Mentor, Instructor)
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Women in STEM Leadership
Moderator: Salimeh Tofighi (Principal Laser Engineer, Spectra Physics)
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The Future of AI: From Generative to Responsible AI
Moderator: Sahar Tavakoli (AI @ Google Cloud)
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Biotechnology & Personalized Medicine
Moderator: Mostafa Ronaghi (Executive Board Member & Co-founder, Cellanome)
A networking lunch followed, along with a remembrance slideshow honoring impactful community members who are no longer with us.
Panel: “The Next Frontier: How Sharif Alumni Are Shaping New Technologies”
Moderated by Zahra Hejrati (Consultant, The World Bank), with panelists:
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Nasrin Mostafazadeh (Founder, Verneek)
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Madison Masaeli (Co-founder & CEO, Deepcell)
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Mahyar Salek (Co-founder & CTO, Deepcell)
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Arash Afrakhteh (Partner, Pear VC)
The discussion centered on emerging technologies, entrepreneurial pathways, and global opportunities.
Ending Day Program
In the last part of the afternoon, the program continued with a presentation on SUTA History by Mahshid Agir (SUTA Board Member), followed by an open mic session led by Mansour Abdoli (SUTA Board Member & Treasurer), where attendees shared memories, ideas, and reflections. The day program concluded with a break before the evening gala.
Evening Gala Highlights
Santa Clara Convention Center
The elegant evening gala opened with dinner and live music performed by Ali Partovi, and program continued as follow:
Tribute to Dr. Yahya Tabesh
A major highlight was a heartfelt tribute to Dr. Yahya Tabesh, honoring his impactful career and contributions to education and the Sharif community. The tribute featured a fireside chat with Dr. Tabesh, moderated by Nasrin Mostafazadeh and Mohsen Hejrati, along with videos, stories, and community reflections. A formal recognition ceremony followed, capped by a group photo with all attendees—a moment to commemorate the milestone event.
Closing Celebration
The night concluded with a lively sing-along led by Mehrdad Zangeneh, followed by music and dancing with DJ Teymour, bringing the celebration to a joyful close.
