Dr. Ershgahi received his BSc (Hons.) from University of Tehran and MS and PhD degrees in petroleum engineering from University of Southern California and has since: authored more than 90 papers in various areas of petroleum engineering designed and implemented more than 120 technology transfer workshops for the PTTC conducted multiple oilfield studies for national, domestic and major international companies. 

Dr. Ershaghi is also the Omar B. Milligan Professor and the Director of Petroleum Engineering Program at the Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California with a teaching record for over 21 years.  Dr. Ershaghi has served as the West Coast Director of the US Dept. of Energy Petroleum Technology Transfer Council, as well as the Executive Director of CiSoft (A USC-Chevron Center of Excellence for Interactive Smart Oilfield Technologies.  Dr. Ershaghi has worked for SIRIP in Persian Gulf, Signal Oil and Gas in Los Angeles and  for the oil and gas and geothermal division of California State Lands Commission before joining USC in 1972.  He is a Fellow of American Association for Advancement of Engineering and a member of the New York Academy of Sciences and the recipient of a multitude of awards including:

The Society of Petroleum Engineers Tech Transfer Award in 2006.

The Society of Petroleum Engineers Distinguished Faculty Award.

The Society of Petroleum Engineers North America Western Region Service Award.

The Orange County Council of Engineers and Scientists Outstanding Educator Award.

The Distinguished Educator Award by American Association for Advancement of Engineering.