Azim Eskandarian joins the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine

By David Pulgar
VCU College of Engineering

For contributions to Virginia's engineering education system and pioneering research that shaped the intelligent vehicle industry, the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine recently inducted Azim Eskandarian, D.Sc., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, as a member.

"It's an honor to join an organization like VASEM, which does so much good in the commonwealth through its rigorous analytical, technical and scientific support to inform policy on issues that affect us all," Eskandarian said. "I look forward to serving with fellow members and the positive impact we can make on STEM education and research discovery in Virginia."

Eskandarian's research has led to innovations like unobtrusive drowsy driver detection, AI-assisted navigation of unpredictable spaces and intelligent and connected autonomous vehicles' safety. Through this work, his lab developed cooperative perception methods and artificial intelligence techniques that allow connected autonomous vehicles to safely plan trajectories through complex, non-signalized intersections, highway segments, and pedestrian safety areas, among others.

Eskandarian's leadership in developing safe control algorithms for connected-vehicle platoons operating under sensor failure conditions earned him the 2021 Vincent Bendix Automotive Electronics Engineering Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers (also known as the SAE).

Before joining the VCU College of Engineering, Eskandarian served as department head of mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech, leading one of the five largest programs of its kind in the nation. His focus on experiential learning and expansion of interdisciplinary initiatives like the SAE Formula One project at VCU, the SAE Solar Car Project at Virginia Tech and the multiyear AutoDrive autonomous driving challenge maintained a focus on equipping students with a skillset that makes them immediately employable after graduation.

His service extends to the federal level, having previously served as director of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Highway Administration's National Crash Analysis Center at The George Washington University and assisting the U.S. Department of Transportation and auto industry on vehicle crashworthiness and safety standards.

Eskandarian is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and SAE International. Membership in VASEM represents one of the highest professional honors for scientists and engineers working within Virginia.

This story was originally published on the College of Engineering website.