User:Sevda Zad

An inspiring sentence...

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I’ve been fortunate to develop a deep interest in Biomedical Engineering and healthcare throughout my academic life, where I can combine engineering techniques to solve health-related problems. To build a strong foundation in this field, I pursued both my BSc and MSc in Mechanical Engineering. With a passion for blending engineering design, analysis, and medical science, I had the opportunity to contribute to several exciting scientific projects, ranging from two-phase heat transfer studies in cryosurgery for kidney tumors to analyzing knee motion patterns. Throughout these projects, I effectively bridged the gap between engineering research teams, physicians, and radiologists to gather targeted data and carry out the necessary simulations and analysis. I gained hands-on experience in building 2D and 3D CAD models, conducting CFD heat transfer simulations, and even advising MSc students on their theses in the same area.

My interests have always extended beyond just engineering, especially when it comes to humans and living organisms. This curiosity led me to an internship with the water and wastewater treatment organization in my home province, where I worked with the R&D team for six months. Additionally, I have over four years of experience in product development, marketing, leadership, and customer support in the medical skincare and wellness industry. These diverse experiences reflect my commitment to fields that intersect with human well-being and health, which continue to shape both my research and professional aspirations.

I’m currently supporting the Glia Equal Care team, an open-source biomedical device company, where I support manufacturing, marketing, and quality assurance efforts. My dream is to transition into a product management role within healthcare, where I can leverage my technical and customer-facing experiences to bring innovative products to market that make a meaningful impact on people's lives.

- Health equity and sustainable biomedical device design

- Health and wellness product development and management

- Product strategy and UX Innovation in health and beauty tech

- Sustainable food systems

- Interdisciplinary innovation and coordination

- Sustainable water & wastewater solutions for public health

Having always dreamed of finding ways to make people’s lives easier through science and innovation, I was honored to be selected by the Ministry of Science and Technology to receive a full bursary for admission to one of the top 10 national universities in Iran—ranked among the top 550 globally—the University of Tabriz. I began my BSc in Mechanical Engineering there in September 2012.

As I progressed through the core courses of Mechanical Engineering, I found myself increasingly drawn to Fluid Mechanics, especially its applications in the biomedical field. Motivated by a desire to strengthen my technical toolkit, I enrolled in training courses on MATLAB and COMSOL Multiphysics offered by the Scientific Society of Mechanical Engineering in our department. It was during the COMSOL course that I met, Dr. Farhad Sadegh Moghanlou, whose mentorship and guidance had a lasting impact on my academic journey. I’m truly grateful for his support and would like to express my deep respect and appreciation for his role in shaping my path.

I was also fortunate to take the Engineering Design course, where I learned two essential CAD tools: AutoCAD and CATIA. I owe special thanks to Mr. Pourziaei, who made the course far more practical and engaging by emphasizing CAD-based design instead of relying solely on traditional paper-based drafting. His approach sparked my early interest in combining design and analysis for real-world problem-solving.

To pursue my interests further, I began collaborating with one of our course professors on two exciting projects: analyzing the motion patterns of an artificial knee and studying the mechanism of a robotic arm on a conveyor belt. Using CATIA V5 and MATLAB, I was able to apply what I had learned in a hands-on, meaningful way. These projects were a spark for me—they helped shape my curiosity and guided me toward discovering my future areas of interest, especially where engineering meets human-centered applications.

In the third year of my undergraduate studies, I was elected as Vice President of the Scientific Society of Mechanical Engineering. During the year of leadership shared with my spouse, (Nima Asgari) we organized a wide range of social-scientific activities, workshops, events, and competitions—many of them held for the first time at the University of Tabriz. It was a valuable experience that strengthened my teamwork, event planning, and leadership skills while building a stronger academic community within our department.

It was time to focus on my BSc final project. Together with my supervisor, Dr. Esmaeil Razavi, we developed an idea to simulate urine flow behavior in the kidney ducts and identify the areas most susceptible to staghorn stone formation. I drew on my experience with CAD software and arranged several sessions with the CT-Angiography center at Madani Hospital to collect kidney images. Using these images, I reconstructed a CAD model of the kidney duct, which I then imported into COMSOL for simulation. The outcome of this research became a well-received conference paper "A Numerical Investigation of Urine Flow Rate Effects on Stag Horn Stones Formation in a Kidney Ducts", for which I had the honor of being both the corresponding author and presenter at the 9th International Conference on Computational Fluid Dynamics (ICCFD9) in Istanbul in 2016.

As an official intern for three months—and later as a volunteer intern for another three—I joined the Water and Wastewater Treatment Company of West Azerbaijan Province. During this time, I became a temporary member of the water transmission and distribution design team, where I gained hands-on experience using AutoCAD to create detailed layouts that ensured efficient system functionality for both municipal and industrial applications. I also collaborated on the selection and ordering of water distribution pumps, applying industry standards, safety protocols, and regulatory guidelines to support reliable system performance.

Alongside design work, I participated in several site visits to treatment plants and pump stations to gather technical data, troubleshoot issues, and meet with clients to discuss project needs and progress. This internship gave me valuable exposure to both municipal and industrial water and wastewater treatment technologies, where I contributed to system design and optimization while learning about sustainable solutions that enhance operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Overall, this experience sparked a deeper interest in biological processes such as bio-digestion and advanced treatment methods.

For the second time—this time with an even higher rank—I was honored to receive the Ministry of Science and Technology’s bursary to pursue my MSc at Sahand University of Technology in 2016. I eagerly followed my coursework and proudly graduated as the top-ranked student in my class throughout the entire program. Passionate about fluid mechanics and biomedical applications, I chose Dr. Siamak Hossainpour as my thesis supervisor. Together, we brough Dr. Farhad Sadegh Moghanlou onto our team to conduct a simulation-based study of cryosurgery, focusing on modeling the tumor freezing and thawing process using COMSOL Multiphysics.

With guidance from one of the most renowned urologists in Tabriz, Dr. Kazem Madaen (MD), and in collaboration with MRI centers across the city, I collected medical images and data to build realistic CAD models. I applied CFD methods to simulate and analyze the complex heat transfer and fluid dynamics processes involved in cryosurgery—ensuring our models aligned with clinical safety standards and patient needs. These efforts led to one research paper under review and another in preparation. I proudly defended my thesis in 2019 and successfully completed my MSc program.

In my second year, I also served as a teaching assistant for Fluid Mechanics in two different semesters under the guidance of Dr. Davood Jalali Vahid and Dr. Mohammad Goharkhah.

After graduation, from 2019 to 2021, I continued supporting academic research as a consultant for an MSc thesis titled “Studying the Nano-Cryosurgery Process in Human Tissues.” In this role, I mentored first-year graduate students in project planning, CAD modeling, and COMSOL simulations. I helped coordinate research efforts, encouraged innovation, and fostered a collaborative and solution-focused environment—gaining valuable experience in teamwork, supervision, and project management.

From February 2021 to August 2022, I worked as a Product and Sales Assistant Manager at Nahal Medical Spa in Urmia, Iran—an experience that truly sparked my interest in healthcare product development and management. Coming from a biomedical and mechanical engineering background, I found it incredibly meaningful to work hands-on with clinical skincare products and see how innovation and customer insight come together in real-world healthcare applications. I collaborated with medical professionals, sales representatives, and estheticians to design and implement product strategies, particularly for Demodex-preventing skincare solutions. I also participated in industry events and trade shows to gather market intelligence and help position our products more effectively. One of my proudest accomplishments was developing a successful social media campaign that boosted product sales by 30% and significantly increased brand visibility. Creating and managing content for our platforms allowed me to connect directly with our audience and contribute to both product strategy and customer experience. This role helped me bridge the gap between technical knowledge, user needs, and market strategy—setting the foundation for my growing passion in healthcare product management.

From October 2022 to December 2024, I had the opportunity to work as an Assistant Store Manager at The Body Shop in London, Ontario—a company I truly admired for its commitment to sustainability, cruelty-free practices, and ethical sourcing. Coming from a background in engineering and biomedical research, this role gave me a chance to explore the business side of wellness and skincare while staying aligned with my values around health and responsibility. I was involved in managing daily operations, overseeing inventory, and supporting multiple product launches and marketing strategies. I used tools like Microsoft Office and Salesforce to track sales, improve inventory systems, and make data-driven decisions that enhanced team performance and customer experience. I also took part in the hiring and training of new staff, helping build a motivated and customer-focused team. This role allowed me to blend my analytical and leadership skills with my passion for products that support people’s well-being and respect the planet.

Since February 2025, I’ve been involved as a Product Strategy and Research associatet at Glia Equal Care, a purpose-driven organization focused on producing open-source 3D-printed medical devices. This role has been a great opportunity to apply my technical background in a hands-on way—especially in quality assurance, where I help ensure our medical devices meet strict standards for both production and packaging. I’m also involved in updating and maintaining 3D printers, following a workshop I took with Glia that deepened my understanding of the technology. On the marketing side, I work cross-functionally to support product development, contribute to sustainability efforts, and help build sales decks that align our products with user needs. This experience continues to strengthen my interest in medical product innovation and management and community-centered healthcare solutions.

• CAD software: CATIA V5, SolidWorks, AutoCAD
• Programming: Matlab
• CFD simulation: COMSOL Multiphysics
• CRM Software: Salesforce
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• CELPIP 2024: Overall 11/12 (Reading: 11, Listening: 10, Speaking: 10, Writing: 11)
• TOEFL IBT 2020: Overall 108/120 (Reading: 26, Listening: 28, Speaking: 26, Writing: 28)

• MSc in Mechanical Engineering (1^st Rank; GPA: 17.42/20); Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran, 2016-2019

·      Thesis: Numerical study of two-phase heat transfer on cryosurgery of human body organs in cancer therapy.

• BSc in Mechanical Engineering; University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran, 2012-2016

·      Project: Numerical study of urine flow behavior in a kidney duct.

Feb 2025 - Current | Product Strategy and Research associate

| Glia, London, Ontario

•  Supported the development and go-to-market strategy of open-source healthcare devices, collaborating across product, sales, and manufacturing teams.
• Created pitch decks and pricing models that contributed to the onboarding of new distribution partners.
• Contributed to +$50K in grant applications through persuasive documentation and research impact briefs.

Oct 2022 – Dec 2024 | Store Assistant Manager

     | The Body Shop, London, Ontario

•  Managed Salesforce CRM to design and execute multiple targeted sales campaigns, analyzing customer behavior and sales trends over time to optimize outreach.

•  Utilized Microsoft PowerBI and Excel to track and manage stock levels, shipments, and orders, ensuring efficient inventory management and reducing stock-outs.

•  Created sales performance reports and campaign posters using Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint to support district-level decision-making and marketing initiatives.

• Coached and led a team of 5+, resulting in regional performance awards for customer service and product rollouts.

•  Executed business development efforts including cold calling and local outreach, expanding corporate partnerships, and increasing store traffic by 15%.

Feb 2021 – Aug 2022 | Product and Sales Assistant Manager

     | Nahal Medical Spa, Urmia, Iran

•   Built and maintained strong, long-term partnerships with over 15 medical clinics, leading to a 30% increase in B2B sales by delivering personalized onboarding, product training, and ongoing client support.

•   Managed vendor relationships and coordinated timely product deliveries to ensure seamless clinic operations and high customer satisfaction.

•   Developed and optimized digital sales funnels and targeted client engagement campaigns via Instagram and WhatsApp, driving a 40% increase in customer inquiries and improving lead-to-sale conversion rates.

•   Proactively identified and resolved client issues, acting as a trusted point of contact to maintain high retention and positive customer experiences.

•   Collected and analyzed customer feedback and sales data to generate actionable reports, collaborating with clinicians and R&D teams to enhance product-market fit and customer satisfaction.

•   Planned and executed trade shows, conferences, customer meetings, and industry events to increase brand visibility, generate new leads, and support business development efforts.

Mar 2019 - Sep 2021 | Research Coordinator

| Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

• Consulted and collaborated on the MSc thesis titled "Studying the Nano-Cryosurgery Process in Human Tissues"
• Advised and supported the first-year master students in research and project planning
• Provided regular reviews and updates with the supervisors regarding the project's progress
• Assisted in preparing drawings using CATIA V5 and validating the projects using COMSOL Multiphysics

Sep 2016 – Mar 2019 | Research Assistant

| Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

• Simulated the cryosurgery process using COMSOL Multiphysics software to model the tumor freezing and thawing process in a CAD modeled kidney
• Created 2D and 3D CAD drawings of a kidney using CATIA V5 from CT-Angiography images and radiologists' verbal instructions
• Regularly visited hospitals and MRI centers to attend meetings with nephrologists and radiologists to collect the targeted images for drawings and modeling
  

Sep 2015 - Mar 2016 | Researcher

  | Mechanism Design Laboratory, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

• Conducted the kinematic analysis on the motion patterns of an artificial knee by Matlab
• Conducted the kinematic analysis on the mechanism of a simple product guidance robot arm on the conveyor belt, using CATIA V5 and Matlab.

Feb 2014- Aug 2016 | Research Assistant

  | University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

• Collaborated with Madani Hospital’s CT-Angiography center to collect kidney images
• Designed a 3D CAD model of the kidney duct using CATIA V5 and SolidWorks software
• Studied the urine flow behavior in the modeled kidney duct using COMSOL Multiphysics software
• Introduced the susceptible areas of the staghorn stone formation in the kidney duct

• Teaching assistant, Fluid Mechanics course, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran, Fall 2017 Prof: M. Goharkhah / Spring 2017 Prof: S. Jalali