Careers: Interviews
A Chat with Dr. Asad M. Madni: Multiple awards; Philanthropist; Led development & commercialization of intelligent sensors, systems, and instrumentation (including, the Extremely Slow Motion Servo Control System for Hubble Space Telescope's Star Selector System), and the revolutionary MEMS GyroChip® technology; Independent Consultant; Distinguished Adjunct Professor and Distinguished Scientist at UCLA ECE Department; Co-supervisor of the High-Speed Electronics Laboratory; Faculty Fellow at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies and Connected Autonomous Electrical Vehicle Consortium; past President, COO & CTO of BEI Technologies

This week, Stephen Ibaraki has an exclusive interview with Dr. Asad M. Madni.

Dr. Asad M. Madni served as President, COO & CTO of BEI Technologies Inc. from 1992 until the completion of its $600M acquisition to Schneider Electric in 2006. He led the development & commercialization of intelligent sensors, systems, and instrumentation for which he has received worldwide acclaim including, the Extremely Slow Motion Servo Control System for Hubble Space Telescope's Star Selector System which provided the Hubble with unprecedented pointing accuracy and stability, resulting in truly remarkable images that have enhanced our understanding of the universe; and the revolutionary MEMS GyroChip® technology which is used worldwide for Electronic Stability Control and Rollover Protection in passenger vehicles, thereby saving millions of lives every year. The sensing technologies that he developed are the fundamental building blocks that help make autonomous vehicles a reality.

Prior to BEI he was with Systron Donner Corporation for 18 years in senior technical & executive positions, eventually as Chairman, President & CEO. Here, he made seminal and pioneering contributions in the development of RF & Microwave Systems & Instrumentation which significantly enhanced the capabilities of the US Tri-Services and allies. He is currently, an Independent Consultant, Distinguished Adjunct Professor and Distinguished Scientist at UCLA ECE Department, Co-supervisor of the High-Speed Electronics Laboratory, and Faculty Fellow at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies and Connected Autonomous Electrical Vehicle Consortium. From 2006 to 2016, he also served as Executive Managing Director & CTO of Crocker Capital.

He received an A.A.S. (Electronics Technology Program) from RCA Institutes Inc., B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Sciences and Engineering from UCLA, Ph.D. in Engineering from California Coast University and S.E. (Program for Senior Executives) from MIT Sloan School of Management.

He is credited with over 230 refereed publications, 69 issued or pending patents, and is the recipient of over 100 national and international honors and awards including, National Inventors Hall of Fame, John Fritz Medal (widely recognized as the "Nobel Prize" in engineering), IEEE Medal of Honor (institute's highest honor, widely recognized as the "Nobel Prize" in electronics/electrical sciences and engineering), Royal Academy of Engineering Prince Philip Medal (academy's highest individual honor), Elmer A. Sperry Award, IEEE Frederik Philips Award, IEEE Millennium Medal, ASME Soichiro Honda Medal, UCSD Gordon Medal for Engineering Leadership, Ellis Island Medal of Honor, IET J.J. Thomson Medal, IEE Achievement Medal, World Automation Congress Medal of Honor, TCI College (originally Marconi Institute) Marconi Medal, Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman Award, Hind Rattan ("Jewel of India") Award, IEEE-USA George F. McClure Citation of Honor, IEEE SC Sensor Systems/Networks Advanced Technical Achievement Award, IEEE AESS Industrial Innovation Award, IEEE AESS Pioneer Award, IEEE IMS Career Excellence Award, IEEE HKN Eminent Member Recognition, IEEE-HKN Vladimir Karapetoff Award, UCLA Professional Achievement Award, UCLA Engineering Alumnus of the Year Award, UCLA Engineering Lifetime Contribution Award, UCLA Engineering Distinguished Service Award, UCLA EE Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Service Awards, USC Engineering Dean's Faculty Award for Service, Tau Beta Pi Distinguished Alumnus Award, and Tau Beta Pi McDonald Mentor Award. He has been elected a fellow or an eminent member by some of the world's most prestigious scientific and technical academies and societies including, National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Inventors, Royal Academy of Engineering, Canadian Academy of Engineering, European Academy of Sciences and Arts, New York Academy of Sciences, Washington Academy of Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science, IEEE, Institution of Engineering and Technology, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Society of Automotive Engineers, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, Royal Aeronautical Society, Institute for the Advancement of Engineering, and Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association. He has been awarded 6 honorary doctorate degrees and 7 honorary professorships. In 2019, IEEE HKN named its top award "The Asad M Madni Outstanding Technical Achievement and Excellence Award" to recognize and honor his nearly 50 years of technical and philanthropic accomplishments, and visionary leadership. In 2022, Tau Beta Pi established "The Asad M. Madni Distinguished Alumnus Award and Student Scholarship" in his honor.

Link to Profile: Dr. Asad M. Madni