Meet Soheil Varastehpour who may be an IT whiz but also loves restoring furniture, carpentry and cooking his native Iranian food.
What is your role?
I’m currently a lecturer at School of Computing, Electrical, and Applied Technology, teaching Network and programming courses in the NZDCS & BCS programs. I am also supervisor /co-supervisor for postgraduate students to provide academic guidance and practical support from the project’s inception to the thesis submission at Unitec. Besides that, I am working on different projects focussing on the areas of machine learning and image processing, which I am very passionate about.
Some of my restoration projects
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work?
When I moved to New Zealand, I decided to learn new skills each year. I’ve learned so far (mostly from YouTube) about old furniture restoration, painting, and surfing. However, I am not professional on those and just doing them for fun. I like playing Futsal and Squash and love camping around NZ with my friends.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Mashhad, the second-largest city in Iran (Persia). Mashhad is the second-most populous city (more than 3 million) in Iran, and it is located in the northeast of the country. Mashhad is also called the city of Saffron and Food. Annually, Mashhad and its surrounding countryside have many pilgrims and tourists from Iran and the world. In simple words, if you are a food lover, you should visit my city ;).
Hitting the surf at Papamoa
Tell us a funny memory from childhood…
Back in my childhood, I was a mindless child. Let me share one funny story (please don’t share my story with anyone else, especially my students :)); when I was five years old, I liked to have a chick, but we lived in an apartment and could not keep a chick there. On one of the summer days, the TV showed a program about a chick factory, and I decided to make my chick factory. So I picked ten eggs from the fridge and put all of them in my mum’s wardrobe (using her clothes as a heater to warm eggs). I was a child and playful 😉 and completely forgot my chick project. One day my mum was tidying up the wardrobe and broke all of the eggs and then …. please let me skip this part of the story; not a good ending ;).
What is your favourite book?
My favourite book is “The Story of Civilization” written by William James Durant. Because I love historical books, this book is about the history of human beings on earth and how they got together in urban settlements.
Partner you want to brag about?
My wife, Neda. We have achieved so many life goals together and still working towards more.
Tell us an achievement out of work that you’re proud of…
I am proud to have completed my doctorate at Unitec, 2020. That was one of the significant investments in my life. Once again, thank the people who went above and beyond to help me ensure my success.
Zereshk Polo Morgh
What’s your favourite food?
I call myself a food lover. I love cooking and eating. My favourite food is an Iranian dish, Zereshk Polo Morgh – Persian Barberry Rice with Chicken.
Who do you most admire?
I admire myself, my parents, and my wife.
Soheil tackles his goals and lets nothing stand in his way.
My parents have helped me to make my dreams come true. They taught me always to be reliable, responsible, and a person of my word.
My wife, Neda, is one of my strongest supporters and stands side by side with me at challenging times.