Seyed Gholamreza Shirazian, PhD, the Director of IKIA Development Project, was born on September 18, 1951, in the Holy City of Mash'had, in north-east Iran.

In 1977, he received his M.S. in Transportation Engineering & Planning, from Iowa State University, and in 1981 he was awarded a PhD in Transportation Engineering & Planning, from Auburn University, U.S.

From 1986 to 1990, he was the Director of Imam Khomeini International Airport and from 1996 to 2000 he was a member of the Parliament, serving as the Chairman of the Parliament Engineers Center, Chairman of the Parliament Tourism Center, Member of the Housing & Transportation Committee of the Parliament and Chairman of Iran & Poland Friendship Group. In 2009 he became Director of IKIA Development Project, a position currently held.

His career also includes many advisory positions such as Advisor to the Minister of Roads and Transportation, Advisor to the Director of Civil Aviation Organization,

His non-governmental activities include his presence in several NGO's such as an anti-drug abuse society, traffic and transportation society, and a regional development cooperation society.

Dr. Shirazian' has written and translated several books and articles on a variety of subjects such as Techniques of Demography, Regional Planning (by Hilhorth), Techniques of Development Planning (by Arthure Louis), Supervising and Cooperation in Study, 54 Reports in National Transportation Plan of Iran, transportation related subjects.