Fazlollah Reza

Fazlollah Reza (Persian: فضل‌الله رضا; January 1, 1915 – November 19, 2019) was an Iranian scientist, academic, and diplomat known for his pioneering contributions to electrical engineering and information theory. Born in Iran, he pursued higher education in engineering and went on to earn a doctorate in electrical engineering. Reza made significant advancements in the field of network theory and cybernetics, publishing influential research that contributed to the development of modern communication systems. His academic career spanned several prestigious institutions, including the University of Tehran, where he served as a professor, and international universities such as McGill University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).^[1]

Fazlollah Reza
فضل‌الله رضا
Ambassador of Iran to Canada
In office October 1974 – November 1978
Monarch	Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
President	Amir-Abbas Hoveyda Jamshid Amouzegar Jafar Sharif-Emami
Preceded by	Parviz Adl
Succeeded by	Abulhassan Bakhtiar
Chancellor of Tehran University
In office 1967–1970
Preceded by	Jahanshah Saleh
Succeeded by	Alinaghi Alikhani
Chancellor of Aryamehr University
In office 1967–1968
Preceded by	Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi
Succeeded by	Mohammad Reza Amin
Personal details
Born	(1915-01-01)1 January 1915 Rasht, Sublime State of Persia (present-day Iran)
Died	19 November 2019(2019-11-19) (aged 104) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater	University of Tehran Columbia University Polytechnic University of New York Syracuse University
Known for	Network and Information Theory Ambassador of Iran to the Canada (1975–1979)

Beyond his scientific achievements, Reza played a prominent role in Iran's higher education system, serving as the Chancellor of Sharif University of Technology and the University of Tehran. His leadership helped shape Iran's academic landscape, fostering research and innovation in engineering and technology. Later in his career, he also took on diplomatic responsibilities, representing Iran as its ambassador to Canada and UNESCO. Throughout his lifetime, Reza received numerous honors for his contributions to both academia and international relations, cementing his legacy as a key figure in Iran's scientific and educational history.^[2]

Career

Reza graduated from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Tehran in 1938, receiving a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. He received a master's and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Columbia University in 1946 and Polytechnic University of New York (now New York University Tandon School of Engineering) in 1950 respectively. He was a Fellow of the IEEE and AAAS for his contribution to network and information theory. He was an honorary member of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature and wrote and spoke extensively on classical Persian poetry.

Positions

Reza served as the head of Aryamehr University of Industry (Sharif University of Technology), University of Tehran, Iran's ambassador to Canada and Iran's ambassador to UNESCO. As a professor, he taught at MIT, McGill University, Concordia University, and the University of Tehran.

Bibliography

• Reza, Fazlollah M.; Seeley, Samuel (1959). Modern Network Analysis (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-28. Retrieved 2014-12-28.
• Reza, Fazlollah M. (1961). An Introduction to Information Theory. Courier Corporation. ISBN 0486682102. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
• Reza, Fazlollah M. (1971). Linear spaces in engineering.
• Reza, Fazlollah M. (1972). The timeless value of Persian poetry = La valeur éternelle de la poésie persane. Éditions de la délégation de l'Iran, auprès de l'Unesco.

See also

• Enayatollah Reza (brother)
• Esmail Merat