Shahriar was one of the organizers and gracious hosts of the International Workshop on Combinatorics, Linear Algebra and Coding in Tehran, Iran in August, 2003. Rick was one of the invited speakers.

Here Rick is being presented with the gift of a Persian ney flute by the flute player on the left. Next to Shahriar is Reza Khosrovshahi, of IPM, Tehran. For more about the conference and associated events in Iran last August, go to

a visit to Iran