During all these years of research in Iran, I have got to know many Iranian women who work as archaelogists, curators, restorers, researchers, students, and museum directors.  All of them are really dedicated to their work and research.  I would like to introduce one of my students Ms. Rahil Alipour here.  I was her supervisor for a period of one and half years.  On April 01, 2008, one of my students in Iran Ms. Rahil Alipour scuccessfully defended her thesis titled Barasiye seyr tahavol naqsh-e shamshir dar miniaturhaye muzei (doreye Teimuri ta Qajar) [A Survey of the Development of the Portrayal of Swords in the miniatures from Museums (the Timurid era to the Qajar period)] at the university of Cultural Heritage of Iran (Markaz-e Amuzesh-e Ali-ye Miras Farhangi, Sanaye Dasti va Gardeshgari) .  She successfully defended her thesis and graduated with distinction.  This was a special date for the research of Iranian/Persian arms and armor. 

She has travelled extensively across Iran to find relevant information for her research.  Our most interesting finding during this research was that we were able to find highly-curved swords depicted in the miniatures from the Timurid period.  This, of course, changes the understanding of the shape of swords during the Timurid period.

Rahil was not only involved in doing research related to her topic, but she was also involved in my research on linguistic terms related to Iranian arms and armor.  A very hard-working student, Rahil has been following her goals in doing research in the field of Iranian arms and armor with total dedication and love for the history of her cultre and her country.  Rahil has maintained an active network with curators at Iranian museums, librarians of national libraries, and university professors.  I am aware that she has been spending countless hours in the archives of Iranian natioinal libraries searching in the archives to find manuscripts related to the realm of arms and armor. 

Rahil is now planning to continue her studies at the graduate level.  To me Rahil is one of the greatest assets of our country Iran.  Very often we tend to praise our national heroes in epics such as the Shahname and we simply forget that the spirit of Rostam is still alive in our young generation.  To me, Rahil is a true representative of a young Iranian carrying the spirit of Rostam.  I wish her all the best for her future research and projects.