Mehdi H. Afshar

Dr. Mehdi H. Afshar is a Researcher at the Technical University of Hamburg (TUHH) since August 2023, focusing on soil health and climate change impacts. Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor at Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Turkey (2022–2023), and held postdoctoral positions at the John Innes Centre (UK) and the University of Manchester (UK). He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from METU, an MSc in Water Resources Engineering, and a BSc in Water Engineering from Urmia University, Iran.

His research integrates statistical, machine learning, and process-based models to enhance predictions in water-food security and soil health. Key projects include the Horizon Europe-funded AI4SoilHealth, which addresses soil degradation and global soil function prediction. His work emphasizes continental Europe, focusing on soil salinization, climate change scenarios, and drought analysis.

Publications span drought prediction frameworks, soil moisture modeling, and agricultural insurance optimization. His recent work explores AI applications in soil health and groundwater-heatwave linkages, reflecting a blend of computational and environmental sciences.

Dr. Afshar collaborates internationally on environmental monitoring and resilience, contributing to conferences like EGU General Assembly. His expertise bridges hydrology, remote sensing, and climate modeling to address global environmental challenges.