Poorya is a PhD researcher at the Institute for Energy and Environmental Flows at the University of Cambridge, working under the supervision of Prof. Andy Woods FRS. He holds the Clare Hall Decarbonisation Doctoral Studentship and, in 2025, was also awarded the John Crampton Travelling Scholarship from the University of Adelaide to further support his PhD studies. His research focuses on the mathematical modeling of low-energy buildings for decarbonisation and infection control.
Before joining Cambridge, Poorya completed his MPhil at the University of Melbourne with the Fluid Mechanics Research group. Funded by a full Melbourne Research Scholarship, his work investigated the effectiveness of displacement ventilation in mitigating indoor airborne disease transmission. He has received numerous accolades for his contributions to the fluid mechanics of the built environment, including AIRAH’s Best Student of the Year (2024), the AIRAH Best Research Excellence Award (2023), the Peter Callow Memorial Scholarship, and the Sir Edward 'Weary Dunlop' scholarship from Ormond College at the University of Melbourne. Previously, he graduated with distinction from the University of Melbourne with an MEng in Mechanical Engineering, supported by the Melbourne School of Engineering Scholarship and the Melbourne School of Engineering Foundation Scholarship.
Alongside his academic pursuits, Poorya worked for several years as a mechanical engineer and later as the lead mechanical asset engineer at Viva Energy Australia (Shell refinery), one of only two refineries in Australia. In this role, he troubleshot day-to-day mechanical reliability issues and optimised equipment efficiency. Notably, he developed a novel mathematical model for predicting the minimum thickness of pressure vessels, which is still used by engineers at the refinery today.
In addition to his research and industry experience, Poorya has extensive teaching experience. He has tutored/supervised six undergraduate and postgraduate courses across departments, including Mechanical Engineering, the Melbourne Business School, and the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Melbourne. In 2022, he earned the Best Tutor Award from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, receiving a perfect score.
