2 McMaster students among those killed in Iran plane crash

McMaster University’s Engineering Department is in mourning after the loss of two of its PhD students.

The school confirmed the deaths of Iman Aghabali and Mehdi Eshaghian.

According to their LinkedIn profiles, Iman was a member of the Power Electronics Research Thrust Area for the Development of Propulsion Technologies. He specialized in design and control of power electronics converters in hybrid and battery electric vehicle applications.

Mehdi was a member of the electric machine design team. He collaborated with Fiat-Chrysler automobiles on designing a traction motor for electric vehicles. Both received their undergrad at Sharif University in Iran.

Tragedy struck numerous universities across Ontario. The University of Guelph says they lost two students. Milad Ariani was about to work towards his PhD in Marketing and Consumer Studies. He also graduated from Sharif University and worked for Tehran’s city planning department.

Friends of PhD student Ghanimat Azdahri say she devoted her studies to advancing the rights of indigenous people. A member of the Qashqai tribe, she was on her way back to Canada after visiting family in indigenous Iranian territories.

The University of Waterloo says Marzieh (Mari) Foroutan worked on new algorithms and technology in remote areas to study climate change.

Mansour Esfahani spent almost three years in Waterloo and focused his PhD on construction, automation, and management.

In Toronto, York University confirmed the death of one of their students. While they didn’t give specific numbers, the University of Toronto confirmed that ‘several’ students were killed in the crash. Flags will be at half-mast as the university mourns.

Fareed Arasteh, who was studying biology at Carleton, was killed as he was flying back to Canada just days after getting married in Iran.

A combined seven students from Western University and Ottawa University were also reportedly killed.

A Toronto couple, Evin Arsalani and her husband, Hiva Molani along with their one-year-old child all perished in the crash.

The Toronto District School Board says it’s mourning the loss of Grade 10 student Maya Zibaie, who was new to Canada. Additionally, York Region District School Board says they’ve been directly affected by the crash.