Mohabbat Ahmadi

1977 - 2023

Mohabbat Ahmadi, 45, passed away on Feb. 25, 2023, surrounded by family in his home town of Eslamabad e Gharb, Iran, after a long illness.

Mohabbat was born in Eslamabad e Gharb on Sept. 21, 1977, to Hamideh Bavandpouri and Mohammad Ali Ahmadi and was one of seven children. He came to Fairbanks via a long, winding path. He received a scholarship to attend the Petroleum University of Technology in Iran, where he received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in petroleum engineering. After working several years in industry, Mohabbat found that his true love lay in academia. To pursue this goal, he left his home and traveled halfway around the world to Austin, Texas, where he received his Ph.D. in petroleum engineering from UT Austin under Dr. Gary Pope. His next stop was Fairbanks, Alaska. Despite a job interview during an ice event that brought Fairbanks to a standstill, Mohabbat was undeterred. He accepted the job offer and joined the University of Alaska Fairbanks as an assistant professor in the Petroleum Engineering Department in January 2011.

Mohabbat was passionate about both teaching and research. His classes were often difficult, but his high expectations of his students were met by equally high expectations of himself. He always went the extra mile to explain difficult concepts and provide extra assistance where needed. The students recognized this dedication, three times naming him Outstanding Faculty.

Mohabbat was equally passionate about his research. His specialty was reservoir engineering, and he conducted research focused on improving our understanding and enhancing productivity of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs in Alaska. He happily worked with other disciplines to improve his understanding of these complex systems. In the process, he authored or coauthored dozens of professional papers and mentored over two dozen graduate students, many of whom went on to work in the Alaska oil industry.

Mohabbat was an incredibly positive and flexible person. Despite arriving in the darkest, coldest month of the year, he soon made himself at home in Fairbanks. He welcomed his wife, Bahareh, to Fairbanks in 2012. His daughter, Shler, was born at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in 2014. Their home was always open to friends of all nationalities. Splendid Iranian dinners and passionate discussions ranging from the Islamic faith to national and international politics were the norm. Family trips to Anchorage, Valdez, Homer and Denali were highlights of their summers. Mohabbat realized a long-term dream when he became an American citizen in 2019.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mohabbat and his family moved to Seattle so that he could be closer to medical care and his wife, Bahareh, could pursue her career. He continued to work remotely, teaching classes and conducting research until shortly before his passing.

Mohabbat will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues for his incredible optimism, enthusiasm and passion for life.

He is survived by his wife, Zeinab Bahareh Barati, their daughter Shler, both of Seattle, Washington, and numerous family members in Iran. His many friends and colleagues here in the U.S. mourn his loss.