rCITI student highlights

Ahmad Emami is a dedicated Ph.D. candidate in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UNSW Sydney, where he conducts his research under the supervision of Prof. Meead Saberi. With a strong academic foundation in industrial engineering from Sharif University of Technology in Iran—where he completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees—Ahmad brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to his work.

His research centres on leveraging AI‑assisted mapping to improve how we capture and understand transportation infrastructure, particularly sidewalks. Sidewalk data is often incomplete or inconsistent, yet it plays a crucial role in studies of pedestrian navigation, accessibility, and walkability. Ahmad’s work explores not only how AI can accelerate and enhance the mapping process, but also how human judgment must be woven into these systems to prevent errors, improve reliability, and ultimately create safer, more inclusive pedestrian environments.

Beyond his technical contributions, Ahmad is deeply passionate about the impact of research on everyday life. He sees his work as a way to help shape more connected, accessible, and human-centered cities.

At Research Centre for Integrated Transport Innovation (rCITI) at UNSW, he is part of a vibrant, international community of researchers—an experience he values greatly. He approaches his research with enthusiasm, gratitude, and a desire to make a meaningful difference.