Unwavering determination takes Durham Tech alumni around the world, to physics award at NC State

Parsa Zareiesfandabadi was just 16 when his parents encouraged him to leave his home country of Iran. After years of persecution for not practicing the country’s religion and not being allowed to attend college, Zareiesfandabadi decided to leave – in pursuit of an education in America.

Shortly after landing on American soil in 2011 as a refugee, Zareiesfandabadi found his way to Durham Tech and got a job at a local hotel to make ends meet. The language barrier was difficult, he said, and the challenges of starting a new life were constant.

“It was really hard to make good grades at the beginning of my time at Durham Tech because of the language barrier, working overtime hours, and battling feelings of depression and loneliness, but I was just so determined that I didn’t let that discourage me,” said Zareiesfandabadi, now 26 and a Physics major at North Carolina State University.

For five years, he woke early, studied late, and focused his attention on earning an Associate in Science degree. Zareiesfandabadi could only attend an average of two classes per semester because he was working 50 and 60 hour work weeks at the hotel and later retail.

“Staying in school was the only way to remind myself that no matter how far-fetched my aspirations seemed at the moment, in order to succeed I must not abandon my goals and dreams,” he said. “Through perseverance and hard work, things began to improve. I worked my way up at my job and my grades began to improve. My English has grown so much that now people find it hard to believe I was not born here.”

While enrolled at Durham Tech, he discovered a love for math and science.

“My math classes with Dr. Memory were absolutely amazing. The math I learned in her class helped me succeed at NC State,” Zareiesfandabadi said. “By the end of her classes, I was able to do math off the top of my head, and those type of skills helped build the foundation I needed to succeed at State.”

David Hopp, a tutor in the Center for Academic Excellence at Durham Tech, also made a huge impact. “David first helped me with math, then English, philosophy, and physics. Anything he could help me with, he did, “Zareiesfandabadi said. “That’s one of the best things about Durham Tech, people there really care. He was the one that pushed me in this direction when he saw that science was something I was really good at.”

Hopp describes Zareiesfandabadi as tenacious, enthusiastic, and someone who demands the best from himself.

“Parsa gained self-assurance as I recognized, and encouraged, his sound intellect,” Hopp said. “He lacked a focus to his efforts to learn math and physics, and I worked with him so that he achieved a necessary discernment and confidence. He will be an inspiring scientist."

Zareiesfandabadi graduated from Durham Tech in May 2017 and transferred to NC State. In his first semester, he discovered a passion for research. He started working in the Elting Lab, where he focused his research on cell division and recently made a new discovery.

The discovery led to Zareiesfandabadi receiving the Provost’s Professional Experience Program award in October 2018, which is given to undergraduate students with a substantial research proposal and findings. The program is very competitive, and only three students are selected each year. He also was nominated to present his research at the Triangle Cytoskeleton Meeting this year.

“It felt amazing to be recognized for my research,” Zareiesfandabadi said. “It’s hard to believe, just a few years after moving to the U.S., I’m thriving at one of the best state universities, conducting high-end research, and discovering new and incredible results.”

After completing his bachelor’s degree, Zareiesfandabadi wants to earn a master’s degree and Ph.D. in BioPhysics and continue to do research. Long-term, he would like to become a professor at a university.

“Durham Tech helped make this all possible for me. It gave me a chance to thrive and become who I am when I didn’t really believe in myself,” Zareiesfandabadi said. “Moving to the U.S was certainly a second chance for me, one that I earned, not one that was handed to me. It has been a long and exciting journey so far, and it’s just the beginning for me.”