Iranian Students of California

• MEET YOUR PANELISTS •

Curious about what it takes to build a successful career in computer science and artificial intelligence, or how professionals navigate opportunities across research, entrepreneurship, and industry?

This session brings together accomplished leaders in the field to share insight into their educational journeys, career experiences, lessons learned along the way, and perspectives on the rapidly evolving world of technology and AI.

Panelists:
• Amirhesam Abedsoltan - PhD Candidate in Computer Science and Engineering, UC San Diego
• Arya Bastani - Cofounder and CEO, Camfer
• Hooman Mohammadi - Senior AI/ML Engineer and Technical Lead, Meta AI

Moderator:
• Hiva Mohammadzadeh - Data Scientist and Machine Learning Engineer, IntuigenceAI

🎟️ Free RSVP: Link in bio!

Our Students & Alumni Emergency Fund was created in response to an urgent and growing need within our community. Since launching, we have heard heartbreaking stories from students and recent alumni facing financial hardship, housing insecurity, food insecurity, medical challenges, and other unexpected crises.

At the same time, we have been deeply moved by the generosity of donors, partners, and community members who have stepped forward to help. This initiative has demonstrated what is possible when a community comes together around a common purpose: ensuring that no student or recent graduate faces hardship alone.

While our first round of funding has been completed, the need continues to far exceed the resources available. We are actively raising funds to support future rounds and help more students and alumni facing urgent financial hardship. If you would like to contribute, partner with us, or help spread the word, we would be grateful for your support. LINK IN BIO.

Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared the fund, volunteered their time, or connected individuals to resources. Your support is making a meaningful difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Last Saturday’s Southern California Community Circle at UCLA was a powerful reminder of how meaningful it is to create intentional spaces for our community to come together.

Throughout the afternoon, students, alumni, and professionals from across Southern California gathered for thoughtful conversations, shared experiences, and genuine connection across industries and generations.

A special thank you to our incredible panelists for speaking openly about their journeys and sharing honest insight into navigating careers in healthcare, technology, entrepreneurship, and beyond. Their perspectives sparked conversations that continued well past the formal program and left many attendees feeling both inspired and grounded.

We’re also deeply grateful to our collaborators, and , for helping bring this event to life and for continuing to invest in spaces that strengthen our community.

What always makes Community Circle so impactful are the moments in between, the side conversations, mentorship moments, new introductions, exchanged ideas, and relationships that continue long after the event itself ends. Thank you to everyone who spent their Saturday afternoon with us and helped create such a welcoming and meaningful environment.

Networking

• INTRODUCING OUR STUDENT & ALUMNI EMERGENCY FUND •

In light of the ongoing challenges impacting members of our community, many students and alumni are facing unexpected financial hardship due to circumstances beyond their control. For many, this includes difficulty covering living expenses such as rent, groceries, medical care, and other essential necessities.

To support those navigating these circumstances, we have established the ISC Student & Alumni Emergency Fund, a community-driven initiative created to provide short-term emergency assistance to individuals facing immediate financial need.

This fund is made possible entirely through your generosity. Every donation directly supports students and alumni facing financial hardship, helping provide stability and relief during this difficult time. All donations are 100% tax deductible.

• Apply for support: https://lnkd.in/gGKNR5Xp
• Contribute to the fund: https://lnkd.in/gg-enbHp
• Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gRGVBaKn

As a community, it is times like these that remind us the importance of supporting one another!

• MEET YOUR PANELISTS •

Up next in our Trails of Lights series is the Navigating the Arts Edition!

Curious about what it truly looks like to build a career as an artist, or how contemporary artists cultivate and evolve their creative practices over time?

This session brings together established Iranian contemporary artists to share insight into their artistic journeys, creative processes, experiences with formal art training, and the realities of navigating today’s contemporary art landscape.

Panelists:
• Farshid Bazmandegan - Contemporary Visual Artist, UC San Diego & UCLA
• Roksana Pirouzmand - Contemporary Visual Artist, California Institute of the Arts & UCLA
• Helia Pouyanfar - Contemporary Visual Artist, UC Berkeley & UC Davis

🎟️ Free RSVP: Link in bio!

We’re pleased to announce our upcoming Trails of Lights webinar!

This conversation will feature Iranian contemporary visual artists sharing insight into their artistic journeys, evolving bodies of work, and experiences navigating the contemporary art space. Alongside showcasing their work, our speakers will discuss creative exploration, graduate arts education, the challenges of sustaining an artistic career, and the process of developing a distinct voice and practice over time. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the realities of working within the arts and the many paths that can shape a creative career.

Webinar Details:
🖼️ From Passion to Profession - Navigating the Arts
🗓️ Wednesday, May 27th, 2026 | 6:00 PM PST
📍 Via Zoom
🎟️ Free RSVP: Link in Bio

Meet our 2026 PAL Cohort!

Over the course of this series, we’ve highlighted all of our incredible Persian Alumni Leaders whose experiences, perspectives, and willingness to give back continue to shape the PAL Program, strengthen our community, and help shape the next generation of Iranian professionals.

Our PALs represent a wide range of industries and continue to support students and recent graduates through shared insight, perspective, and guidance.

What makes this program impactful is the shared belief in creating stronger connections between students, alumni, and young professionals across California.

To connect with a PAL, submit the PAL-Student Connection Request Form in our bio!

Questions? DM us or email [email protected]

We’re honored to share our Southern California Community Circle panelists, Dr. Bijan Najafi, Dr. Jason Roostaeian, Dr. Behzad Razavi, and Dr. Hessam Nowzari!

Through their work across healthcare, engineering, research, and clinical innovation, these distinguished Iranian-American professionals have helped shape advancements in medicine, technology, patient care, and higher education. Their collective experience spans digital health, wearable technology, surgery, dentistry, engineering education, and interdisciplinary research, reflecting decades of leadership and impact within their respective fields.

Join us for an engaging and thoughtful conversation as they share their career journeys, pivotal decisions, and perspectives on the evolving future of healthcare, engineering, and innovation. The discussion will explore how research, collaboration, and emerging technologies are transforming the way we approach medicine, education, and real-world problem solving.

We hope you’ll join us for an afternoon of conversation, networking, and community with students, alumni, and professionals from across Southern California.

🎟️ Space is limited, RSVP through the link in our bio!

We’re pleased to welcome you to our upcoming SoCal Community Circle! This in-person gathering, hosted in collaboration with and , will take place on May 23rd at UCLA for an afternoon of meaningful conversation and connection.

Our Community Circles bring together students and alumni of Iranian heritage to share experiences, exchange ideas, and build relationships that support both personal and professional growth.

This event will feature a panel of distinguished Iranian-American professionals across healthcare and engineering, offering insight into their career paths, pivotal decisions, and defining moments along the way. The conversation will touch on advancements in clinical care, digital health, and engineering innovation, while also exploring how cross-disciplinary thinking and real-world application are shaping the future of medicine, technology, and research.

Open to students, alumni, and professionals from all fields and universities, everyone is welcome. Stay tuned, our featured panelists will be announced soon!

🎟️ Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP! Link in bio.