2023-2024 Executive

Vishvam is in his final year of the Civil Engineering program at the University of Manitoba. He has previous experience as a member of ITE Student Chapter, as well as served one year as Community Co-Chair and one year as Treasurer.

Vishvam is excited to learn more about transportation and municipal engineering, safety features involved, and how to give a modern sustainable touch to transportation from fellow students and industry professionals, with a particular interest in transportation infrastructure in the developing world.

During his free time, Vishvam likes to read and spend time with friends.

Mohamed is in his fourth year of the Civil Engineering at the University of Manitoba, and has previous executive experience with other student clubs in the faculty. Mohamed actively seeks out opportunities to interact with like-minded peers and professionals in the transportation industry in order to connect and collaborate with people who share his passion.  

Mohamed plans to explore the data analysis field of transportation engineering, and to develop an outlook on a future where data-driven insights will transform the industry.

Joshua is an undergraduate student at the University of Manitoba. Having been interested in the student chapter and the field of transportation engineering for some time, he's excited to have an executive role and further contribute. 

Joshua has spent the last few years gaining valuable experience in the field of civil engineering as a whole, having worked with consulting companies in different locations across Manitoba and acquiring valuable contacts. Recently, Joshua went on exchange at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, broadening horizons and gaining insight into the lifestyles of peoples an ocean away.

While Joshua isn't travelling the globe, he enjoys making new friends, finding new places to eat, and reading transportation blogs online.

Jugal's in his 4th year as a Civil Engineering Student at the University of Manitoba. He is excited to take on his role as Treasurer in the ITE Student Chapter. 

Jugal has experience in the field of Municipal Engineering as he has completed two work terms, one each with the City of Portage la Praire and Town of Niverville. He is hoping to learn more about Transportation Engineering and expand his network and knowledge through the ITE Chapter. 

In his free time, Jugal loves travelling and exploring new places and cuisines. He also likes hiking and camping during summers.

Tara Saeidi joined the University of Manitoba Transportation and Informatics Group (UMTIG) in May 2021 for her Ph.D. program. This is her third year as a member of the ITE Student Chapter and she is taking on the role of Secretary for the second time. She is excited to continue her participation and take responsibilities through her time with ITE this year.

Tara’s master’s thesis in Iran concerned passenger satisfaction analysis in the public transportation system. Her research interests include and go beyond public transit, travel behavior, and the application of AI learning in transportation. Her current research is focused on zoning optimization for autonomous Demand Responsive Transit. She enjoys painting, playing table tennis, and swimming in her free time.

Nasim obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering. Her enthusiasm for applying to a Ph.D. program in Transportation Engineering is rooted in the type of research she carried out for her Master’s thesis at the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran and her experience of working in the industry, where she could apply machine learning and optimization methods for complex and interactive systems to solve real-world problems.

Nasim started her Ph.D. study at U of M in Winter 2022. Her current research centers around the estimation of origin-destination trips using deep learning approaches, specifically focusing on freight transportation. This research aims to contribute to the resilience and safety of the freight transportation network of the Canadian Prairie and Northern Region.

Gurman is currently in his fourth year studying at the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Manitoba. With his enthusiasm for community involvement, he is thrilled to serve as the Community Chair for ITE in his second year as being the member of ITE. Under his guidance, there are plans to host numerous community outreach programs that will foster engagement and education.

Beyond ITE, Gurman has actively participated in several student organizations, which showcases his adaptability and passion for exploring diverse avenues in the field of engineering. As a tech enthusiast, he has worked on his skills in computer programming and has ventured into freelance work, focusing on the development of open-source video games.

When he’s not immersed in his academic and professional pursuits, Gurman loves to go hiking and trekking outside. Additionally, he also loves video gaming, a hobby that both entertains and informs him in game development.

Tracy is in her fourth year in the Civil Engineering program at the University of Manitoba. This is her first year in the ITE Student Chapter and she is excited to take on the role of Social Fundraising Co-Chair.

Tracy is exploring her interest within different fields in civil engineering, by joining GeoWall, a competition held by a fellow student group at the UofM, and completing two 8-month co-op work terms with CM Wong in Hong Kong and PCL in Winnipeg. She hopes to learn more about transportation engineering during her time with the ITE Chapter to expand her knowledge, interacting with fellow students and industry professionals.

In her free time, Tracy enjoys staying active through bouldering and playing soccer. She also enjoys cooking and baking.

Yihang is in her fifth year of the Civil Engineering program at the University of Manitoba. She is excited to bring her expertise and creativity to organize and execute successful events as the newly elected co-chair.

Yihang’s experience includes working as a member of UofM Steel Bridge Design Team. She hopes to expand her knowledge of Transportation Engineering during her time with the ITE Chapter.

In her free time, Yihang likes singing, listening to music and spending time with family and friends.

Babak Mehran is a Civil Engineering professor at the University of Manitoba and a professional engineer in Canada. Babak’s research interests include optimization of traffic operations and public transportation systems, traffic flow modelling and simulation, applications of autonomous and connected vehicles in traffic management, modelling and design of autonomous shared mobility services, transportation network resilience and reliability analysis, big data analytics and spatial data science, and applications of artificial intelligence in transportation operations planning. Babak is a member of the Transportation Research Board’s Standing Committee on Passenger Intermodal Facilities - AP045 and co-chairs the Special Interest Group (SIG) C4: Traffic Safety and Analysis of the World Conference on Transport Research Society.