PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (August 28, 2020) – When Aliakbar Montazer Haghighi left his 17-year post at Benedict College in South Carolina (and before that, teaching and researching in Iran, Canada, and California), he knew he wanted to continue his career at a historically black college and university (HBCU).
Aliakbar Haghighi, Ph.D.
“Having taught at an HBCU for so many years, it was natural for me to continue with the same lovely atmosphere,” he said.
Haghighi joined Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) in 2002 as a professor and the head of the Department of Mathematics in the Marvin D. and June Samuel Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences. He continues to serve today under these same titles. He says his favorite part about his career is interacting with students, both in-person and virtually.
“Relaying what I know to others is extremely enjoyable,” Haghighi said. “Teaching is really not just teaching; it is teaching and learning. Helping others learn is a beautiful feeling of accomplishment.”
Currently, Haghighi teaches differential equations and advanced math for engineering. When it comes to teaching methods, he finds including real-life applications produces the best results.
“Since my teaching is mixed with research and publications, my main goal is to ensure students learn what they need to for their next course and for the job market,” he said. “The job market is extremely competitive, so I have to prepare my students to both be competitive when applying for jobs and successfully retaining them.”
Haghighi’s teaching and research accomplishments have achieved many awards, including PVAMU’s Excellence in Research Award and Excellence in Service as Department Head Award.
Specializing in a range of research topics, including probability, statistics stochastic professes, and queueing theory, Haghighi has written ten books, five in English and five in Farsi, and more than 35 peer-reviewed research papers. His most recent book, “Probability, Statistics and Stochastic Processes for Engineers and Scientists,” was released last month.
Haghighi also co-founded and serves as editor-in-chief of “Applications & Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM),” which produces two issues annually and is housed in PVAMU’s Department of Mathematics. Established in 2005, the journal has produced more than 15 volumes for mathematics-based researchers.
Haghighi earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mathematics from San Francisco State University and a Ph.D. in probability and statistics from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
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By Kendall Hebert