Dr. Nasser Jalali
Prior embarking on his academic career, Dr. Jalali Led, Co-founded several Silicon Valley organizations in the Hi-Tech industry serving as a President, Chief Operation Officer, VP of Research and Development and Manufacturing from 1988 – 2004.
He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering, a MS in Computer Science and MBA from University of San Francisco (USF), and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from ODTU.
Dr. Jalali joined to School of Design (formally DAI) at SFSU in 2004, where he has taught a wide range of courses in the Industrial Manufacturing, Design & Materials, Model-development, Product Development, Rapid-Prototyping and manufacturing system, and Design Processes. Over nearly 20 years, he has demonstrated exceptional teaching effectiveness, professionalism, and collegial service to the program and the university.
He had made significant contributions to applied learning environments for students, educators, and professionals in the field of Industrial Design and Manufacturing. He has been a mainstay in instructing our core and intermediate-level Product Design skill development, technology, and studio courses. He has been requested to instruct a broader range of Product Design and Manufacturing curricula more than any other faculty member, which includes both full-time and adjunct faculty in this area. He not only instructed, but as a Lecturer Faculty Member, had also designed, and revised the curriculum within the context of curriculum consolidations and newly-formed courses in response to program changes since the closure of our former Industrial Technology courses, and the introduction of our BSID degree program in 2010.
Dr. Jalali has been at the forefront of introducing and guiding students in the critical area of sustainable design and materials applications relative to the social impact of design in consumer and manufacturing environments, such as DES 340 Design & Materials. Within this course, he has also incorporated state-of-the-art online sustainable design learning tools and methodologies, such as analyzing LCA and reduction of carbon emission in product design. He also elevated the applied
material technology innovation and learning experiences in his DES 310 Product Design-1 course, such as in the advancement of his motion vehicle project of exercising sustainable energy. Finally, Dr. Jalali successfully took on the primary core-level task of leading the critical instruction of our required Product Design development Lab, “DES 305 Lab Safety Basics” course.
Dr. Jalali consistent, and outstanding (SETE) student evaluations and teaching record among the highest in DES program throughout his teaching career. He has also contributed to the SFSU community as a two-term (six-years) member of the university Academic Senate, a collegial service most impactful was his diligent and empathic contributions as the California Faculty Association representation on behalf of the School of Design Lecturer Faculty Members for years, and served as a member of Department Chair review committee. He is a member of Epsilon Pi Tau the international honor society in technology.
Dr. Jalali has been rewarded an Emeritus status at San Francisco State University in Spring of 2024.