Behdad is an MPA student at SPIA. Before pursuing graduate education at SPIA, he was dedicated to driving social impact through evidence-based policy-making and public awareness in Iran. As the co-founder of the influential Sekke Podcast, he has fostered informed discussions on critical economic and development issues. His role as the Head of the Department of Education at the Tehran Economic Policy-making Think-tank (TEPT), a think tank at the University of Tehran, has enabled impactful research and the provision of high-quality education for students and practitioners on applied economics and development. He received his B.S. and M.S. in Economics from the University of Tehran. During his work, he focused on expanding educational initiatives and deepening his knowledge of international development. Upon graduation, Behdad plans to tackle the challenges of developing in countries and continue nurturing specialized human resources for sustainable development.