Karan Sotoodeh is an Iranian author and engineer with nearly two decades of experience in the oil and gas industry, specializing in valves, actuators, piping, and material engineering. In his most recent role, he served as a Senior/Lead Valve and Actuator Engineer at Baker Hughes, focusing on subsea oil and gas projects. Karan Sotoodeh earned his PhD in Safety and Reliability in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Stavanger in 2021. Over the years, he has established himself as a prolific contributor to the field, authoring 15 technical books on topics such as valves, piping, actuators, corrosion, material selection, and safety engineering. He has also published more than 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has been invited to present his work at international conferences in the United States, Germany, and China. Karan has collaborated with numerous valve suppliers across Europe, including those in the UK, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and Norway, gaining extensive insight into global industry practices. Beyond his professional accomplishments, he is an avid traveler, runner, and swimmer who enjoys spending time in nature.