Dr. Soheil Shayegh has an immensely colourful background. Born in Iran, having worked in Africa, the US, and now in Italy, his life journey is incredibly interesting. In this episode we trace his development from an engineer, to a start-up founder, to working with developing countries, and finally his realization that an academic career made the most sense for him. Listen in to how he has found success: it is not just about talent and hard work. As he describes, there were many instances where he sent 'cold-call-type' emails to preeminent academics, which occasionally led to important connections. This is a key take away from this episode: if you are dedicated, it shows, and don't be afraid to put yourself out there because people take notice of your commitment and tenacity, and you will be rewarded in due time.