Lyles College alumna Peyvand Hajian is redefining what it means to live in a country of prosperity – the United States.

“My family also wanted me to have a better life,” she said. "They saw that I wouldn’t have a bright future in Iran. So, in December 2013, I bought a plane ticket, packed all the things I could fit into a suit case and made the move to a new land with new opportunities.”

Originally from Tehran, Iran, she graduated in 2016 with master’s degree in civil engineering from the Lyles College of Engineering. Hajian's brother Peiman also graduated from Fresno State.

Hajian’s engineering background is strong. Her father, an electrical engineer and owner of an engineering firm, encouraged her to explore the world of engineering. She came to the U.S. in 2014 after earning a bachelor’s degree in water engineering and dedicating two additional years to mathematics at Razi University of Kermanshah, Iran.

Despite being far away from her family when she arrived, she quickly built strong friendships and an educational career to be proud of – Hajian was the first graduate-level transportation engineering student and the first female to graduate from the program.

“My focus was on transportation engineering in college and since then, I’ve been working to make a positive impact on transportation in the Valley,” she said.

Hajian spent a lot of time with Fresno’s Transformative Climate Communities – a program that funds development and infrastructure projects that achieve major environmental, health, and economic benefits in California’s most disadvantaged communities.

“I’ve learned that in order to serve a community, the first step is to get involved and understand their needs and hear their voices," she said. "The communities in downtown and southwest Fresno have been overlooked for many, many years. In order to provide efficient transportation, improve economic development, and a sustainable future, we must consider equal transportation for all. This research led me to propose the Bike-Share Program to the City of Fresno that has now been combined with other proposals as a clean transportation network.”

The proposed Bike-share Program will allow for ebikes to be placed around the City of Fresno for pedestrian access. Hajian says it will help improve the Valley’s air quality, allow of more green space, and is a cost-effective and a healthy way for residents to commute.

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