S. Alireza Behnejad

Dr. S. Alireza Behnejad is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Surrey, UK. He holds a PhD in Geometry of Spatial Structures (2018) and serves as Director of the Spatial Structures Research Centre founded in 1963. His roles include Programme Leader for Undergraduate Civil Engineering and member of the University Ethics Committee. Behnejad is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Space Structures and a key member of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS), including organizing the 2020/21 virtual IASS conference.

Behnejad’s research focuses on spatial structures, bamboo engineering, and pedagogical methods. Notable projects include the Bamboo For Sustainable Construction initiative (with global partners) and the DAD Project, promoting hands-on learning through physical models. He has been awarded the Vice-Chancellor's Teacher of the Year (2021) for enhancing student learning. His work bridges historical architectural forms (e.g., Iranian Karbandi vaults) with modern engineering challenges, emphasizing sustainability and education.

Behnejad collaborates with institutions worldwide, including Brazil’s University of São Paulo and China’s Southwest Jiaotong University. He supervises postgraduate students on topics like spatial structure conceptual design and leads efforts to improve engineering education through full-scale physical models and international student exchanges.