Dr. Alireza Bazargan

Dr. Alireza Bazargan

Associate Professor · UNDP Chief Technical Advisor · CEO & Founder
Bridging academia, UN policy leadership, and multi‑million‑dollar industrial projects. Highly cited scientist with over a decade of executive leadership.
Top 2% Cited Best Selling Author C-Level Entrepreneur
Professional Profile

C‑level executive and top 2% globally highly cited scientist with over a decade of leadership driving innovation in water, waste, and environmental sectors. Dr. Bazargan concurrently serves as CEO & Founder of Pyramoon Water and Energy Engineering, Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and holds a tenure-track faculty position at the University of Tehran. He is a recipient of numerous international awards, including the DAAD scholarship (Germany), TOTAL scholarship (France), and the University of Tokyo's Asian Program for Incubation of Environmental Leaders. His work bridges the gap between early‑stage innovation and full‑scale industrial deployment.

50+
Journal Papers
35+
Graduate Students
60+
Courses Delivered
20+
Company Contracts
5+
UNDP Contracts
50+
Employees
Education

PhD Chemical Engineering

2011 – 2015 · Hong Kong University of Science & Technology

Research attachment at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. Awarded the SEND and PGRS scholarships.

MSc Project Management

2009 – 2010 · Ecole des Mines de Nantes (IMT Atlantique), France

Environmental & Energy Engineering — awarded the TOTAL scholarship.

BSc Chemical Engineering

2003 – 2008 · Sharif University of Technology, Iran

Internship at Rheinland‑Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern‑Landau, Germany.

United Nations Development Programme
Joined UNDP in 2020, progressing to Chief Technical Advisor, the most senior technical advisory position within the UNDP country office programme unit.
Chief Technical Advisor · UNDP Iran
Dec 2025 – Current
  • Provide senior-level guidance across the entire water, waste, energy, and environmental portfolio. Deliver strategic direction, lead tendering processes, sign off as evaluator on projects, provide technical reporting for donors, and oversee contractor performance. Key initiatives include:
    • Overseeing a global benchmarking study on leachate treatment plants, followed by the conceptual design of Tehran's leachate treatment facility with a capacity of 200 m³/day.
    • Directing flood‑response operations in Sistan and Baluchistan, deploying hundreds of potable‑water tanks and 70+ chlorine‑disinfection units (scaled to 200+ chlorination units nationwide after existing infrastructure was damaged by American war crimes).
    • Overseeing the conceptual design, tendering, and implementation of 5 reverse osmosis units for underserved regions of Isfahan province, delivering a combined capacity of 1,500+ m³/day.
    • Supervising feasibility studies, tender documentation, and evaluation for Caspian waste‑management infrastructure, including a 1‑ton/hr plastic recycling plant.
    • Delivering knowledge-sharing sessions on water scarcity to UN agencies (UNESCO, FAO) and over 40 embassies in Iran.
Technical Associate (Water Expert) · UNDP Iran
Early 2023 – Nov 2025
  • Led technical oversight of the Chabahar seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) project for nearly 3 years, steering all technical and commercial aspects.
    • Managed the contractor responsible for full technical documentation, including process design and calculations, PFD, P&ID, heat and mass balance, plot plans, equipment lists, and construction drawings.
    • Drove the tendering process as technical lead, authoring the Value for Money Analysis, Negotiation Strategy, compliance assessments, and the final Evaluation Report.
    • Established quality assurance and contract management frameworks, maintained the project risk register, and coordinated with national authorities including the Ministry of Energy.
    • Delivered a $300,000 cost reduction on the Chabahar SWRO procurement, ensuring project feasibility.
National Project Coordinator · UNDP Iran
Dec 2022 – Dec 2023
  • Conceptually designed a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant to provide potable water for 50,000 people living on the outskirts of Chabahar, Iran.
  • Conducted vulnerability assessments, agricultural gap analyses, and recommended high‑yield, low‑water farming solutions in the marginalized Sistan and Baluchistan region.
  • Supported institutional and regulatory development at local, provincial, and national levels.
  • Prepared comprehensive progress reports for the UNDP Country Office and the Ministry of Interior.
Technical Advisor · Integrated Waste Management, Caspian
Feb 2022 – Nov 2022
  • Conducted situational analyses and needs assessments for integrated solid waste management across the Caspian region (3 provinces, population ~8 million).
  • Developed regional strategies and defined project outcomes and indicators.
  • Authored the complete UNDP Project Document, which served as the fundamental guiding strategy for implementation.
Contractor · Healthcare Waste Training
May 2021 – Jan 2022
  • Strengthened healthcare waste worker capacity during the COVID-19 crisis.
  • Designed a comprehensive action plan and training packages tailored to the pandemic context.
  • Delivered training to 1,700+ individuals: 300 healthcare workers from 153 hospitals, 1,200 municipal personnel, and 200 SME staff.
  • Prepared a final bilingual report with lessons learned and recommendations.
Contractor · Waste Management Assessment, Tehran
Oct 2020 – Jun 2021
  • First UNDP engagement in Iran, performing a comprehensive assessment of Tehran's municipal waste management system.
  • Evaluated various waste streams — MSW, packaging, bulky, C&D, street, hazardous, industrial, e‑waste, and healthcare.
  • Assessed smart waste management opportunities and delivered a full financial and economic analysis, including COVID-19 impacts.
  • Delivered an 80,000‑word benchmark report to the Tehran Waste Management Organization, which became a reference for subsequent studies.
Pyramoon Water & Energy Engineering
Founded in 2019 to bridge the critical gap between early‑stage innovation and full‑scale industrial deployment — taking technologies from the lab to TRL 8. www.pyramoon.net

Electromagnetic Waves for SWRO

Behroshd · 2026–Current

Industrial‑scale test of electromagnetic waves to reduce scaling/fouling on SWRO membranes; potential acquisition of company shares upon success.

Deep Gravity Sand Filters (90,000 m³/day)

Noor Vijeh Company · 2023–Current

Design and Construction of a massive concrete structure (180×40×6 m) for slow sand filtration, reducing intake turbidity to < 1 NTU for Chabahar desalination plant.

DAF Performance Evaluation (500,000 m³/day)

Asia Water · 2025–2026

Comprehensive audit and improvement suggestions for high‑rate DAF systems, identifying bottlenecks and reducing chemical consumption.

Brine Valorization & Mineral Recovery

Sazeh Sazan · 2025–2026

Techno‑economic assessment of brine management technologies (EDR, LSRRO, HPRO, MVR, etc.) and phased roadmap for Mg(OH)₂ recovery.

Pretreatment System (150,000 m³/day)

Noor Vijeh Company · 2023–Current

Integrated pretreatment system with Coagulation, Flocculation, Sedimentation, and DAF for Bushehr and Borazjan SWRO plants, achieving >90% reduction in turbidity, TSS, FOG, and zooplankton.

Revamping DAF (480,000 m³/day)

Sazeh Sazan · 2022–Current

Pilot overhaul of DAF units at Persian Gulf Desalination Plant with 3D‑printed nozzles, reducing pressure and improving removal efficiency by 30%.

Tourist Complex (Concert Hall & Villas)

Golchin Shanderman · 2019–Current

General contractor for a 1‑hectare tourist complex including concert hall, restaurants, villas, and landscaping.

3D‑Printed Static Mixers

Internal · 2019–Current

Designed and manufactured novel static mixers using CFD modelling and 3D printing for low pressure drop and high mixing efficiency.

EPCM Detergent WWTP (60 m³/day)

Golrang Industrial Group · 2022–2023

EPCM for an industrial wastewater treatment plant treating highly polluted wastewater (COD > 10,000 mg/L) using Anaerobic Fixed Bed, MBBR, etc.

Reuse Consultancy (100,000 m³/day)

PGIDSCO & WWCE · 2020–2023

Technical consultancy for one of the largest municipal wastewater reuse plants in Iran, including advanced pre‑treatment (UF, ozonation).

Sport Center Construction

Golchin Village · 2021–2022

Built a sport center with unconventional diagonal concrete pillars, reducing costs by >50% compared to conventional methods.

Bushehr‑IV SWRO (30,000 m³/day)

Noor Vijeh Company · 2019, 2021–2022

EPC general contractor for full desalination plant including civil works and intake systems. Delivered on‑time amidst sanctions with 60+ staff.

5.5 km HDPE Pipeline

Noor Vijeh Company · 2020–2021

Design and installation of 5.5 km of 24″ HDPE pipeline through Bushehr city to transfer desalinated water to the central tank.

R&D DAFF (500 → 20,000 m³/day)

Noor Vijeh Company · 2019–2021

Developed Dissolved Air Flotation Filtration from lab to industrial scale. Commissioned two large DAF systems after successful pilot.

Industrial Desalination Unit (600 m³/day)

Padideh Shimi Ghram (Golrang) · 2020–2021

EPC of a desalination unit with 80% recovery, permeate TDS < 20 mg/L. High automation for minimal intervention.

Biofilm Removal

Padideh Shimi Ghar (Golrang) · 2020

Provided step‑by‑step instructions to clear biofilm growth in pipelines of a major toiletries factory, ensuring product safety.

Brackish Water Desalination Design

Abadan Petrochemical Plant · 2019

Consultancy for possible designs of a brackish water desalination plant. Provided optimized designs and modelling to inform decision‑making.

Academic Career
Faculty member at Iran's top university since 2018. Founder of the Resource Efficiency Lab and former Head of the Waste Management Research Cluster.
Faculty Appointments
2016 – Current
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Tehran (2026–Current)Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Tehran (2018–2026)Assistant ProfessorK.N. Toosi University (KNTU) (2016–2018)
Research Leadership
2018 – Current
Founding Head, Resource Efficiency LabUniversity of Tehran (2019–Current)Head, Waste Management Research ClusterUniversity of Tehran (2018–2024)
Editorial & Publishing
2018 – 2024
Editor, International Journal of Environmental ResearchSpringer (2023–2024)Series Editor in Chemical & Environmental EngineeringRiver Publishers (Taylor & Francis) (2018–2022)
National Evaluation & Examination
2018 – 2024
Jury Member / ReviewerVice Presidency for Science & Technology (2019–2024)Jury Member / ReviewerNanotechnology Initiative Council (2018–2020)Test Writer, National University Entrance Exam (Konkoor)Ministry of Science, Research & Technology (2021, 2022, 2023)Judge, National Environmental AwardsDepartment of Environment (appointed by Head of DOE, 2023)
Scientific Committees & Conferences
2021 – Current
Chair, Scientific Committee on Chemical & Environmental EngineeringInterpore Iran (2022–Current)Scientific Committee Member15th Symposium on Novel Technologies and Sustainable Development, Leskovac, Serbia (2023)Local Chair1st National Conference on Water Quality and 3rd National Conference on Consumption Management, Tehran, Iran (2021)
University Administration & International Relations
2018 – 2024
Cultural & Scientific CounselorUniversity of Tehran, Graduate Faculty of Environment (2019–2024)Member, Committee on Cooperation with France & Francophone CountriesUniversity of Tehran (2018–2024)
Books
A Multidisciplinary Introduction to Desalination

A Multidisciplinary Introduction to Desalination

#1 New Release Best Seller in Environmental Engineering on Amazon.com
Photocatalytic Water and Wastewater Treatment

Photocatalytic Water and Wastewater Treatment

Foreword by Dr. Nick Hankins, University of Oxford
Selected Publications
Authored 50+ peer‑reviewed journal papers, 35+ conference papers, and 15+ book chapters.
2026Economic assessment of waste‑to‑energy technologies for carbon emissions reduction in developing countries: An innovative methodological approachEnergy Reports
2025Closed‑Loop Recycling of Shelf‑Stable Multi‑Layer Aseptic Packaging Components: a Novel Separation Method without HydropulpingCircular Economy & Sustainability
2023Life cycle assessment of gas‑based EAF steel production: environmental impacts and strategies for footprint reductionInt. J. Life Cycle Assessment
2023Formaldehyde production using methanol and heterogeneous solid catalysts: a comprehensive reviewMolecular Catalysis
2022The synergetic effects of radio‑frequency electromagnetic field and pH adjustment on landfill leachate microbial inactivationProcess Safety & Env. Protection
2021Discharge of lithium‑ion batteries in salt solutions for safer storage, transport, and resource recoveryWaste Management & Research
2021The evolving trends of landfill leachate treatment research over the past 45 yearsEnviron. Sci. & Poll. Research
2021Research trends of heavy metal removal from aqueous environmentsJ. Environmental Management
2020A facile chemical‑free cathode powder separation method for lithium ion battery resource recoveryJournal of Energy Storage
2020A review of the application of adsorbents for landfill leachate treatment: Focus on magnetic adsorptionScience of the Total Environment
2020Landfill site selection using multi criteria decision making: Influential factors for comparing locationsJ. Environmental Sciences
2020Optimization of the removal of lignin and silica from rice husks with alkaline peroxideJournal of Cleaner Production

List of publications on Google Scholar

Teaching & Supervision

Courses Delivered

65+ total classes taught 20 distinct titles
  • Landfill Leachate Management (10 terms)
  • Fundamentals of Env. Eng. (8 terms)
  • Health, Safety & Environment (7 terms)
  • Environmental Economics (4 terms)
  • Hazardous Wastes (3 terms)
  • Environmental Statistics (3 terms)
  • Research Methods (3 terms)
  • Recycling (3 terms)
  • Wastewater Treatment (2 terms)
  • Water Treatment (2 terms)
  • Solid Waste Management (2 terms)
  • Waste to Energy (2 terms)
  • Bioprocessing of Wastes (2 terms)
  • Life Cycle Assessment (2 terms)
  • + 6 more titles

Graduate Supervision

25+ MSc students 10+ PhD candidates

Research themes:

Recycling & Resource Recovery Leachate & Wastewater Treatment Renewable Energy Life Cycle Assessment & Policy Advanced Oxidation Desalination & Brine Management

Students have ranked 1st nationally in entrance exams (twice) and won Distinguished Research Awards (twice).

Multimedia
Watch Dr. Bazargan's media apperances, talks and presentations.