Born in 1936 in Masjed Soleyman, southern Iran, Akasheh was the first Iranian professor of seismology and a prominent geophysicist.
Over the course of five decades, he played a pioneering role in earthquake research, education, and raising public awareness about seismic risks in Iran, particularly warning about the vulnerability of Tehran to major earthquakes.
He was a strong advocate for relocating the capital to reduce potential casualties from future seismic events.
Dr. Akasheh began his academic career at the Institute of Geophysics, University of Tehran in 1969, becoming a full professor in 1985. He led the seismology division for many years and later headed the geophysics department at Islamic Azad University, Tehran North Branch, for 14 years.
After earning his physics degree in Tehran, he completed his PhD in seismology at the University of Frankfurt, Germany. Returning to Iran, he dedicated his life to research, teaching, and promoting scientific literacy through frequent media engagement.
His legacy lives on through generations of students and his contributions to Iran’s seismic preparedness.
