About

Professor Mehdi Marashi has dedicated over thirty years of his life’s work
to the study of Persian language and linguistics. Dr. Marashi’s
instructional materials are proficiency-based in accordance with the
guidelines of Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) and the American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). This approach sets a
practical standard for the Persian language acquisition.

Dr. Marashi immigrated to the United States in 1964 from Tehran, Iran. He
received his Ph.D. (1970) from the University of Texas at Austin. The
University of Utah bestowed him with the title of Associate Professor
Emeritus. While at the University of Utah, Dr. Marashi taught in the summer
intensive programs at other institutions including Princeton, NYU,
University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas and in Peace Corps
Programs. Upon his early retirement from the University of Utah, Dr.
Marashi accepted a position as University of California, Berkeley's Mellon
Lecturer in Persian (1992-1996). He then moved on to government work at
Monterey’s Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center (1996-2004)
as an instructor and later as Curriculum Development Specialist.

Dr. Marashi is the author of several publications related to Persian
language and culture. He sits on the Persian Board of the National Middle
East Language Resource Center (NMELRC), is a Fellow of Middle East Studies
Association of North America (MESA), a member and certified Persian tester
for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), and
a member of the American Association of Teachers of Persian (AATP).

Dr. Marashi has been recepient of research grants including Mellon Research
Award (U.C. Berkeley), Faculty Fellow Award (U of U), Fulbright Lecturing
Award (to teach at Tashkent State University), a Research Grant (U.S.
Department of Education), a two-year Study grant (Ministry of Education,
Iran).