Instructor Spotlight: Masoud Moradian, PE

At School of PE, we employ multiple instructors to teach the material in their areas of expertise-this sets us apart from our competitors. We have received a great deal of positive feedback from our students, and we believe that learning from experts in their respective areas provides the most comprehensive learning experience.

Our Instructor Spotlight series gives you a peek behind the scenes with some of School of PE's highly acclaimed instructors. Read on to find out more about our very own Masoud Moradian.

Author Bio:

Masoud Moradian obtained his doctorate degree in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK in 2017. During his Ph.D. work, Masoud worked on different properties of cementitious materials in projects sponsored by FHWA, NSF, and U.S. Department. Masoud has published over 25 articles in international journals and conferences.

In September 2017, he joined Texas Department of Transportation. As a Transportation Engineer, Masoud has been involved in laboratory management, specification revisions, roadway design, PS&E, and construction works. Masoud is a licensed professional engineer in Texas with #131370. He teaches Geotechnical engineering for SoPE.

What attracted you to your chosen field/area of expertise?

I wanted to be a civil engineer because what a civil engineer does can have a significant impact on the community, and the outcome is appreciable whether it is a roadway that lasts decades or a residential building that is home for many families over its lifetime.

How do you make sure to stay up to date on skills and technology?

As an employee of a state agency, I need to stay on top of various things as the industry always brings innovative technologies to our attention to make their process more efficient and less costly. Therefore, I devote a good amount of time to studying, participating in conferences/webinars, researching, and talking to talented people to learn more about what is trending in our industry and how we can incorporate those trends into our specifications.

What is the most rewarding thing about being an engineer?

As a transportation engineer, I really enjoy when I drive on different roadways and think about the impact my job has had on the residents, especially the projects that I was a part of. Also, it is a pleasant feeling when I can help address some of the issues that I see in roadways during my normal life.

What do you think is the most important skill for an engineer?

Depending on what branch of engineering you are in, problem solving, leadership, and management skills are "musts" for engineers.

What is the best way to prepare for the FE/PE exam?

On top of having deep knowledge about the topics and references covered by the exam, it is very important to gain the skills required to solve multiple-choice questions. This includes time management and the skill to lookup the answers in the reference books. With this being said, working on different practice questions is highly recommended.

Why would you recommend taking an exam review course to prepare for the PE exam? 

Although I preferred self-study for most of the exams during college or my career, for this particular exam I took a comprehensive review course to give me an insight into how the PE exam works and to feel more comfortable facing the broad range of topics that are covered in the PE exam.