University of Kurdistan
Hiwa Golpira
Dr. Golpira obtained his MSc with a focus on mathematical modeling of the oscillatory behavior of olive fruits during mechanical harvesting. His Ph.D. research centered on the conceptual design of a specialized stripper header for chickpea harvesting. Before joining the University of Kurdistan as a lecturer in 2002, he founded a company specializing in agricultural equipment manufacturing. During a six-month visit to KU Leuven in Belgium, he used soft computing techniques for redesigning machine elements.
Dr. Golpira rejoined UOK as an assistant professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering in 2008. His focus on agricultural automation has led to four patents and two awards. In 2019, he attended the CIGR Next Leader Event in Germany alongside 13 academic experts, participating in discussions on autonomous vehicles, precision agriculture, and smart farming. He gained further experience in field robotics through visits to UPV in Spain and to LfL and TUM in Germany in 2019 and 2022.
Teaching responsibilities
Undergraduate
Design of Machine Elements
Design of Harvesting Machinery
Material Science & Engineering
Graduate
Advanced Instrumentation
FEM
Topics in Agriculture
Research interests
Circular Bioeconomy System (CBS): Hiwa is working on adopting a CBS within the widely practiced rotation of rain-fed wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.), staple crops in the semi-arid arable lands of the MENA.
Modeling and simulation: Cyber-physical systems, mathematical models, data-driven simulators, and hybrid computational algorithms are employed to analyze field data, support informed decision-making in food security assessments, and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
Activities
Collaborating with Agricultural Robotic Laboratory, UPV, Spain, 2019-present
Associate Editor for CIGR Journal: Agricultural Engineering International, 2019-2024
Secretary of the CIGR Technical Section III: Plant Production, 2022-present
Member of the CIGR working group of Circular Bioeconomy (CBE), 2023-present.
Associate professor
Biosystems Engineering
Education:
Ph.D. Agricultural Engineering, TMU, 2009
M.S. Agricultural Engineering, Shiraz University, 1998
B.S. Agricultural Engineering, Urmia University, 1996
