UCLA Electrical Engineer Asad Madni Elected Fellow of Royal Society of Canada

Asad Madni ’69, M.S. ’72, a distinguished adjunct professor of electrical and computer engineering at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, has been elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, one of the country’s highest honors for distinguished scholars, artists and scientists.

The nonprofit organization announced its Class of 2026 today and Madni was among the 105 new fellows elected to the society’s three academies — arts and humanities, social sciences and science. He was selected in the Academy of Science for his “pioneering contributions to the development and commercialization of sensing and systems technologies [that] revolutionized navigation and stability in aerospace and automotive systems, helping to save millions of lives worldwide and establishing the critical foundation for autonomous vehicles.” The society also recognized his achievements in extending the limits of space exploration and enhancing our understanding of the universe; establishing a new generation of instrumentation for women’s healthcare; and enabling scientific discoveries that were not previously possible.

A double Bruin, Madni led the invention and commercialization of GyroChip, a quartz micro-electro-mechanical systems sensor used in electronic stability control and automobile rollover protection. More than 55 million units have been installed across more than 80 passenger vehicle models. The technology has also been used on NASA’s Sojourner Mars rover and commercial airliners including the Boeing 777. Earlier in his career, Madni led development of the control system used in the Hubble Space Telescope’s star selector, improving its accuracy and stability. He also spearheaded scientific research at Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly known as Ryerson University, in Canada, and has served as a doctoral thesis advisor to many prominent Canadian engineers.

Throughout his career, Madni has been named a fellow or member of many of the world’s leading scientific and technical academies, including the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Inventors, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Canadian Academy of Engineering. He holds 28 U.S. patents and has received more than 100 awards, including the John Fritz Medal, the IEEE Medal of Honor — the highest award of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers — and the Prince Philip Medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering. He has also been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, the Space Technology Hall of Fame, and most recently, the Engineering and Science Hall of Fame.

A native of Mumbai, India, Madni received his B.S. and M.S. in electrical sciences and engineering from UCLA before earning a Ph.D. in engineering from California Coast University and an S.E. from MIT Sloan School of Management. He has also been awarded six honorary doctoral degrees and seven honorary professorships. Since 2011, Madni has been a faculty member of UCLA Samueli, where he has received the Alumnus of the Year and Lifetime Contribution awards.

Founded in 1882, the Royal Society of Canada recognizes academic and artistic excellence, advises government and non-governmental organizations, and promotes research and scholarly accomplishment. The Class of 2026 fellows will be honored November 13 at the society’s Celebration of Excellence and Engagement in Ottawa, Canada.