aau/MüllerPostdoctoral researcher Reza Farahani will launch his first independently led research project at the University of Klagenfurt in April. By combining artificial intelligence, autonomous drones, and edge computing, he aims to develop new, more efficient and data-driven approaches to the technical monitoring of bridges – another milestone in his international scientific career.
This April will see the launch of Reza Farahani’s first research project, which he submitted as coordinator and for which he has secured approximately EUR 360,000 in funding from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). This marks another major step in the scientific career of the postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Information Technology. In 2019, Reza Farahani moved from Tehran to the University of Klagenfurt as a PhD candidate at the CDG ATHENA Lab, where he focused on multimedia communication. At that time, his research focused on smooth video transmission technologies, such as those required by large-scale streaming platforms like YouTube, Netflix or Amazon Prime. Even before defending his doctoral thesis, Reza Farahani moved to the Department of Information Technology, where he conducted research as a postdoctoral researcher on the coordination side of an EU Horizon project “Graph Massivizer” on the processing of Big Data. “Today, almost any form of data processing can be represented as a graph,” Reza Farahani explains. “Social networks are a simple example: people are connected to others, forming massive networks with billions of nodes and edges. Processing such graphs at scale is extremely resource-intensive. In the Graph-Massivizer project, we worked on improving both performance and energy efficiency of large-scale graph processing, across use cases ranging from finance to data centres.”
The processing of data and media content in distributed systems runs like a common thread through Reza Farahani’s scientific career: “Data is everywhere today. If we are to handle these enormous volumes effectively, we need to work on improved systems for data storage and processing.” System scalability is particularly relevant in this context: “The volume of data keeps increasing; our systems must be able to keep pace efficiently. We therefore need technologies that are both scalable and sustainable, increasingly supported by intelligent, learning-based systems.” Reza Farahani places a particular focus on cloud and edge computing, which today form a fundamental pillar of modern distributed systems. “My scientific journey began with multimedia use cases and gradually expanded toward distributed systems. After learning a great deal about the processing of Big Data and the corresponding infrastructures, I have now arrived at edge computing.” This technology promises to open up many new possibilities: edge computing means that data is processed close to where it is generated, rather than in a distant data centre. Computing power can be provided by a wide range of devices – for example smartphones, Internet of Things devices or drones – that are located very close by. The possibilities of this technology are enormous. This is why it also forms the basis of Reza Farahani’s first research project, which he developed, coordinated and ultimately submitted successfully.
Edge Computing
The project will focus on the technical monitoring of bridges, as he explains: “In Austria, there are more than 5,000 larger bridges. Some of them are already quite old. However, bridge inspection is very labour-intensive, requires large equipment and often involves closing roads. That is why we are now trying to find more efficient and intelligent approaches using AI, drones and edge computing. The drones themselves are intended to function as “smart, mobile edge computing nodes.” Equipped with AI-based perception and learning capabilities, the drones will be able to adapt their inspection strategies autonomously based on structural conditions and environmental factors. This should make it possible in future to adapt tasks assigned to the drones, improve communication between drones and process data directly on the drones. From April 2026, Reza Farahani will lead the project together with a team of senior and early-career researchers. At the same time, he continues to pursue his ongoing habilitation with focus and determination.
To date, Reza Farahani has published 45 peer-reviewed scientific publications. All of his work on new IT technologies is underpinned by one discipline: mathematics. “I have been fascinated by mathematics and optimization since my school days. In Iran, mathematics is strongly embedded in the education system, and this foundation continues to shape my research today.” In 2014, he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Hardware Engineering at the University of Isfahan, followed in 2019 by a Master’s degree in Computer Architecture at the University of Tehran. Before and in between, Reza Farahani worked for more than six years as an engineer in various companies and gained experience that he would not want to miss today. He came to Klagenfurt as a PhD candidate in 2019 and spent three months as a PhD visitor at the University of Surrey, UK, and in 2020 his wife followed him; she completed a German-taught Master’s degree at FH Kärnten and also works in Carinthia. Today, he can say: “I love my job in research at the university because it combines development tasks as an engineer with basic research. When you work in a position in a company, you usually have to improve something that already exists. In science, however, I can make something new become reality. I can create something that does not yet exist, collaborate with senior researchers, pass on experience to junior colleagues, and constantly remain at the forefront of new developments. That is the beauty of this profession.”
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A few words with … Reza Farahani
When was the last time you discussed your research with someone outside the scientific community?
Often when I talk with my parents or with old friends who are completely outside the world of technology. They are genuinely curious, and I try to explain my research using simple, tangible examples. These conversations often turn into surprisingly deep and engaging discussions.
What is the first thing you do in the office each morning?
I begin by looking at my handwritten to-do list and deciding on the priorities for the day. It helps me stay focused.
Who do you regard as the greatest scientist in history, and why?
I deeply admire scientists who combine strong theoretical thinking with real-world impact. People like Alan Turing come to mind, because their ideas still shape how we think about computation and intelligence today.
What makes you furious?
Fake behaviour, selfishness, lack of respect for others, and the abuse of power.
And what calms you down?
Seeing my work create positive impact — whether by supporting students, helping colleagues, or contributing to society more broadly.
Do you take proper holidays? Without thinking about your work?
That is not an easy question. To be honest, in recent years not really. Sometimes work follows me even on holidays, although I know how important it is to disconnect.
What are you looking forward to?
I look forward to learning more, building my own research team, and being increasingly useful to society.
Der Beitrag Using Drones and Intelligent Edge Computing for the Future of Bridge Inspection erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.