Sakineh Simin M. Redjali (; 1934 – 15 October 2025) was an Iranian–American psychologist and author. Simin Redjali was the first female professor of National University of Iran. She published her autobiography A Symphony of Life : triumph of education over adversity, a journey of a Persian-American woman through war, love, revolution and freedom in 2013.
Early life and family Sakineh Mostafavi Redjali was born in Tehran, Persia in 1934, to an old aristocrat family. Her father, Ali Reza, and her mother Fatemeh, were titled by the Shah of Persia as Jalaelmolk and Sharafatdole, both honors of the government. Redjali's grandfather, Haji Mirza Mohammed Taghi Dabir-al- Doleh was a member of Dar-al-Shora Kobra (council of Ministers) and an able servant of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar's court.
Education Redjali earned a BA in educational science and philosophy from the University of Tehran in 1955. She earned a PhD in education, clinical psychology and sociology from the University of Heidelberg in 1961. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship at the University of London in 1963. She completed a research program in psychology and programmed learning in 1967 and was a licensed clinical psychologist.
Career Between 1963 and 1979 Redjali was professor of psychology at the National University of Iran. As secretary general of the Women's Organization of Iran from 1969 to 1971 she helped establish 180 family welfare centers throughout Iran. Between 1973 and 1979 she was president of Shemiran College, Iran.
From 1979 to 1992 she was center director for the Child Development Center and Adult Training Center in Lynchburg, Virginia, progressing to research director from 1992 to 1995. Between 1992 and 1996 she was on the clinical faculty of the Medical College of Richmond's psychiatry dept and was a clinical associate for the South Eastern Rural Mental Health Research Center, University of Virginia. From 1995 to 1996 she was director of staff development and research at Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute, Virginia.
From 1996 to 2009 Redjali conducted research and consulted in the field of mental health, developmental disabilities, behavioral science and dual diagnosis. Between 1998 and 2000 she was on the board of directors for the Virginia Chapter of American Association on Mental Retardation.
Death Redjali died on 15 October 2025, at the age of 91.سیمین رجالی درگذشت
Honors and awards YearAward / honourAwarding body1956–1961Academic scholarshipUniversity of Heidelberg1962–1963 Cento FellowshipUniversity of London, Institute of Education1966National Science Foundation fellowship for psychologyUniversity of Michigan19712500th Anniversary Medal for the research in the role of women in education and women studiesIranian Monarch1973Tadj and Haftpaykar medalsFor 19 years of volunteer services to children's special education1977Pahlavi MedalMinistry of Higher Education for Excellence of Academic Achievement of Shemiran College1984, 1989, 1994Service AwardCommonwealth of Virginia1996FellowAmerican Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD, former AAMR)
Publications Books - contributor
- contributor
- contributor
Journals Journal of Mental Health Journal of Mental Retardation Journal of Association of Public Developmental Disabilities Journal of Psychology, Iranian Psychological Association World Yearbook of Education of Teachers College
References