Professor Asad Madni honored with prestigious John Fritz Medal
A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Madni has been honored with the Gordon Prize, the Simon Ramo Medal, and the Spirit of St. Louis Medal.
LOS ANGELES:- Professor Asad M. Madni of the University of Southern California (USC) has been awarded the 2026 ‘John Fritz Medal’—often regarded as the ‘Nobel Prize of Engineering.’ He received this honor for his pioneering contributions to the field of ‘transdisciplinary systems engineering.’
Established in 1902, this medal honors prominent figures who have contributed to human progress. According to USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering, past recipients include notable individuals such as Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Claude Shannon, Gordon Moore, Andrew Viterbi, and Elon Musk.
Madni, Executive Director of USC’s ‘Systems Architecting and Engineering Program,’ was honored for his advancements in ‘Transdisciplinary Systems Engineering’—achieved through the integration of diverse subjects, ‘Augmented Intelligence,’ ‘Green Learning,’ and interactive storytelling within virtual worlds.
Byong-Soo Kim, President of USCMA, stated, “Professor Madani’s pioneering work has fundamentally transformed the way complex systems are designed. This extraordinary honor is a fitting recognition of the innovation, imagination, and impact that have defined his outstanding career.”
According to Gaurav Sukhatme, interim dean of USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering, Andrew Viterbi—the individual after whom the school is named—also received this medal in 2011. Sukhatme described this honor bestowed upon Madani as a continuation of USC’s legacy of innovation in engineering.
Madni grew up in Mumbai, where he studied at St. Mary’s High School and completed his studies in science from St. Xavier’s College.
He said that he chose aerospace engineering after being inspired by a speech by US President John F. Kennedy in 1962 about sending Americans to the moon. Madani went to the United States in 1965 to study engineering.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1968, his master’s degree in 1971, and his doctorate (PhD) in 1978.
According to Madni, obtaining a doctorate was necessary at that time to secure a ‘green card’ (permanent residency permit). “Back then, the only way to get a green card was to pursue a doctorate, while providing proof of two years of self-sufficiency.”
At Rockwell International, Madni worked on NASA’s Space Shuttle program, developing a model-based approach to test the shuttle’s navigation system.
Later, he led research at Perceptronics and, in 1994, founded Intelligent Systems Technology, Inc. He joined USC in 2009.
A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Madni has been honored with the Gordon Prize, the Simon Ramo Medal, and the Spirit of St. Louis Medal.
