Trenchless Pioneers: Mohammad ‘Mo’ Najafi

Trenchless Pioneers is a special monthly series sharing with readers the trailblazers who grew and expanded the trenchless industry.

One of the trenchless industry’s pioneers who stands out for his contributions across both new installation and rehabilitation methods is Mohammad “Mo” Najafi, PhD, P.E., F. ASCE, BC.PLW.

Dr. Mo, as many refer to him, is an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and the founder and director of the Center for Underground Infrastructure Research and Education (CUIRE).

Najafi was drawn to the construction industry and engineering because of a deep interest in learning how things work. He traces this interest to when he was eight years old. Najafi was injured when a roof collapsed at his family home. His legs were broken, and as he was recuperating, his mind wandered to thinking about the building and how the buildings are constructed and concepts behind it. “That’s how I went to civil engineering,” he says.

Najafi came to the United States after receiving his high school diploma and earned his bachelor’s in civil engineering from Texas Tech University in 1976. After graduating he worked both in the United States and his home country of Iran before making the decision to pursue a master’s degree in civil engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. One of his classes was taught by Tom Iseley and that’s when Najafi got his first taste of trenchless technologies.

With his interest sparked, he formed a friendship with Iseley and upon graduating from Purdue in 1988, Najafi was looking to take the next step in his journey — obtaining a doctorate — and he spoke to Iseley.

As luck would have it, Iseley had an offer to go to Louisiana Tech University and suggested Najafi join him there, which he did, earning his PhD in civil engineering in 1993.

In his tenure at Louisiana Tech, Najafi helped in the formation of what would become the world-renowned Trenchless Technology Center (TTC), as well as the North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT).

Entering Academia

After Louisiana Tech was an eight-year stop at Missouri Western University where, among other things, he started the university’s first trenchless technology focused course, as well as an HDD-focused course. He also formed the second NASTT student chapter.

“When I graduated from Louisiana Tech, I was looking for a job, and the first job that was offered to me immediately after graduation was this faculty position,” he says. “I was excited to get a new full-time job coming out of the student environment, so I grabbed that job without question.”

And though he’s had offers for work outside of academia, he’s felt his place is in the classroom. “I enjoy working with students because they bring new ideas and excitement, and the students appreciate the education I provide them, specifically trenchless technologies,” he says.

His next role would lead to the creation of another one of the trenchless industry’s most recognized research institutions – CUIRE. In 2002 he moved to Michigan State University.

With the backing of the university and several industry partners including the Michigan Department of Transportation, he developed CUIRE. After four years in Michigan, Najafi headed to UTA and brought CUIRE with him.

Trenchless Accomplishments

Najafi’s list of accomplishments and involvement with industry-related associations is long, so asking him to focus on one major career accomplishment was no easy task. Najafi points to his written work, which includes the first comprehensive book on trenchless technologies, “Trenchless Technology: Pipeline and Utility Design, Construction, and Renewal” published in 2005.

It was followed by “Trenchless Technology Piping: Installation and Inspection” in 2010; “Trenchless Technology: Planning, Equipment, and Methods” in 2013; “Pipeline Infrastructure Renewal and Asset Management” in 2016; and the “Trenchless Technology: Pipeline and Utility Design, Construction, and Renewal, Second Edition” in 2022.

“Those books I see as my major contribution to the industry,” he says. “The other accomplishment is the creation of ASCE’s Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice.”

For his accomplishments and contributions to the industry Najafi received one of ASCE’s highest honors; the Stephen D. Bechtel Pipeline Engineering Award, at the UESI Pipelines 2024 Conference.

“I think my legacy has been focused on education, training, research and development. I’d like to think I was somehow very helpful in spreading the word about trenchless technologies around the world,” he says. “I’ve been involved with a lot of ‘firsts’ in the industry…that have helped spread the word and create guidelines for trenchless methods.”

He adds, “I think my life has been challenging. Coming here to go to school, I needed to support myself financially and then my wife and my kids. I think I can be a role model for other people to not give up and pursue their goals. You can overcome the challenges.”

Mike Kezdi is managing editor of Trenchless Technology.