Information

Membership Number: FCA3515

Membership Type: Fellow

Division: Engineering and Applied Sciences

Corresponding Email: azad.madni@usc.edu

Homepage(s): https://viterbi.usc.edu/directory/faculty/Madni/Azad 

Present and Previous Positions

03/2022 – Present   University Professor, University of Southern California (USC)

• The highest academic honor bestowed by the USC President on faculty with “exceptional distinctions in their fields and who have brought renown to the university through their work.”

03/2021 – Present   Northrop Grumman Foundation Fred O’Green Chair in Engineering, USC

07/2009 – Present   Executive Director, Systems Architecting and Engineering Program, USC

• Expanded curriculum to reflect advances in systems architecting and engineering.

07/2009 – Present   Professor of Astronautical Engineering and Industrial and Systems Engineering, USC

• Founded the Distributed Autonomy and Intelligent Systems Laboratory.

• Founded the doctoral program in Systems Architecting and Engineering within the Astronautical Engineering Department.

• Conducted research for NSF, DoD-SERC, DoD-AIRC, Boeing, and General Motors.

09/2012 – Present   Professor (Courtesy Appointment), Rossier School of Education, USC

• Developed a technology-enabled storytelling approach to teaching.

03/2011 – Present   Professor (Courtesy Appointment), Keck School of Medicine, USC

• Applied systems modeling approaches to the management of chronic diseases.

• Faculty Affiliate, Ginsberg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics.

03/2009 – 06/2009   Visiting Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, USC

• Revised the curriculum of the Systems Architecting and Engineering Program.

07/1994 – Present   Founder, CEO & CTO, Intelligent Systems Technology Inc.

• Grew company revenues by 1588% in the first five years, solving defense, aerospace, automotive, and societal problems through intelligent systems.

• Led research on sponsored programs for DARPA, DHS, NASA, NIST, DOE, DTRA, TATRC, AFOSR, AFRL, ARL, ONR, NAVAIR, NAVSEA, SPAWAR, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, SAIC, ORINCON, and others.

11/1977 – 08/1994   Executive Vice President for R&D and Chief Technology Officer (final position), Perceptronics, Inc.

• Led the company to become a leader in AI and simulation-based training.

• Guided the company through a successful IPO.

06/1973 – 11/1977   Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer, Rockwell International, Space Division

• Developed a model-based performance testing approach for the Space Shuttle navigation system.

06/1968 – 09/1972   Systems Engineer, The Ralph M. Parsons Company

• Analyzed shock spectra of partially buried 3D structures subjected to simulated nuclear explosions.

Fields of Scholarship and Research Interests

• Exploiting Synergy Between Humans and AI through Augmented Intelligence
• Transdisciplinary Systems Engineering and Engineering Education
• Leveraging Digital Twin Technology in Model-Based Systems Engineering
• Model-Based Systems Engineering of Autonomous Systems and System-of-Systems
• Adaptive Cyber-Physical-Human Systems and Machine Learning
• Interactive Storytelling in Virtual Worlds

Honors, Awards and Other Membership

2025

• Society of Women Engineers Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award

• Elected Fellow, Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)

• USC Associates Award for Creativity in Research and Scholarship

2024

• Elected Fellow, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)

• Washington Academy of Sciences Distinguished Career Award

• 18th Annual Carl M. Franklin Lecture on Science and Society (Feb 23, 2024)

• Honorary Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

2023

• Honorary Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

• ASME CIE Lifetime Achievement Award

• NAE Gordon Prize for Innovation in Engineering and Technology Education

• NAE Marie Curie Donor Society Member

• NAE Albert Einstein Donor Society Member

• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Lifetime Member

• Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Recognition Award (for Transdisciplinary Systems, 2023)

• Elected Fellow, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE)

• IEEE Simon Ramo Medal — “for pioneering contributions to model-based systems engineering, education, and industrial impact using interdisciplinary approaches”

2022

• Appointed University Professor of Astronautics by USC President Carol Folt

• Elected Fellow, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)

2021

• IEEE-USA George F. McClure Citation of Honor — “for sustained excellence, dedicated commitment, and contributions to the socioeconomic and diversity aspects of IEEE professional activities in the United States”

• Joint INCOSE/ASEE Outstanding Educator Award (inaugural award)

• INCOSE Benefactor Award (only the second time awarded in INCOSE history)

• Appointed Northrop Grumman Foundation Fred O’Green Chair in Engineering

• Elected Member, U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE)

• Appointed Dean’s Professor of Astronautical Engineering by USC Viterbi Dean Yannis Yortsos

• IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society Judith A. Resnik Space Award — for model-based testing methods and software for the Shuttle Navigation System, and sustained excellence in aerospace systems research & education

2020

• IEEE-USA Entrepreneur Achievement Award — for a lifetime of innovation, mentoring, and philanthropy

• IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society Norbert Wiener Outstanding Research Award

• NDIA Ferguson Award for Excellence in Systems Engineering

• Elected Fellow, Washington Academy of Sciences (WAS)

• President’s Award, Orange County Engineering Council

2019

• IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society Pioneer Award — for contributions to advanced simulation-based training and intelligent decision aiding for aerospace systems

• AIAA/ASEE Leland Atwood Award — for excellence in engineering education and research

• ASME CIE Leadership Award — for advancing the use of computers in engineering

• INCOSE Founders Award — for increasing the global stature of INCOSE

• Society for Modeling and Simulation International Presidential Award — for sustained contributions to modeling and simulation

• William B. Johnson International Inter-Professional Founders Award, Engineers’ Council

• Prestigious Pioneering Educator Award, Orange County Engineering Council

• USC University Club Faculty Recognition (Amy King Dundon-Berchtold Honoree)

2018

• INCOSE Outstanding Professional Services Award

2017

• IEEE SMC Systems Science and Engineering Award — for leadership of the Model-Based Systems Engineering Technical Committee

• Dean’s Award for Innovation in Teaching and Education, USC Viterbi School

• John F. Guarrera Engineering Educator of the Year, Engineers’ Council

• James E. Ballinger Engineer of the Year, Orange County Engineering Council

2016

• Boeing Lifetime Achievement Award

• Boeing Visionary Systems Engineering Leadership Award

• INCOSE RMC Special Award — for pioneering industry-relevant contributions to transdisciplinary systems engineering

• Distinguished Engineering Educator Award, Engineers’ Council

• Outstanding Educator Award, Orange County Engineering Council

2014

• INCOSE Lifetime Achievement Award — for seminal contributions to systems engineering theory and practice

2013

• IISE Prize for Innovation in Curriculum Development

• Susan C. Ruth Distinguished Service Award, INCOSE-LA

2012

• Elected Life Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

• Elected Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

• Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

• INCOSE Exceptional Achievement Award — for transformative advances in multidisciplinary approaches to systems engineering

2011

• Elected Life Fellow, International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE)

• INCOSE Pioneer Award — for seminal contributions to system science and engineering and to society (past awardees include Si Ramo and Norm Augustine)

2008

• President’s Award, Society of Design and Process Science (SDPS) — for leading the society’s growth and influence worldwide

2007

• Elected Life Fellow, Institution of Electronics and Telecommunications Engineers (IETE)

2006

• C.V. Ramamoorthy Distinguished Scholar Award, SDPS

• Elected Life Fellow, Society of Design and Process Science (SDPS)

2005

• Elected Fellow, International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE)

2004

• Developer of the Year Award, Technology Council of Southern California

• DARPA Sustained Excellence by a Performer Award, Information Processing Technology Office

• DARPA Significant Technical Achievement Award, Information Processing Technology Office

2001

• Elected Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

2000

• Developer of the Year Award, Technology Council of Southern California

• Blue Chip Enterprise Award, Mass Mutual and U.S. Chamber of Commerce

• Distinguished CEO, Computerworld’s Top 100 Emerging Companies to Watch

1999

• SBA National Tibbetts Award for California — for innovation research, commercialization, and successful transition to industry and government

1995–1997

• Visiting Distinguished Industry Fellow, NASA JPL Space Microelectronics Center

1976–1977

• Rockwell International Technology Utilization Awards, NASA Space Shuttle Program:

• Spatially Correlated TACAN Error Model & Fortran IV Computer Program (Feb 19, 1976)

• Quantization and Hysteresis Modeling Program (SID 19883, Sept 29, 1976)

• Maximum Likelihood Error Sampling Program (SID 19986, Mar 9, 1977)

• Barometric Altimeter Error Model (SID 20095, Oct 3, 1977)

Additional Recognition

• Listed in Marquis Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, Who’s Who in Industry and Finance, and Who’s Who in America.

Selected Publications

Authored and Edited Books

1. Madni, A.M. Transdisciplinary Systems Engineering: Exploiting Convergence in a Hyperconnected World. Foreword by Norm Augustine. Springer, September 2018. (18k accesses)

2. Singaram, J., Iyengar, S.S., Madni, A.M. Deep Learning Networks – Design, Development, and Deployment. Springer, 2023. (12k accesses)

3. Bahill, T., Madni, A.M. Trade-off Decisions in System Design. Foreword by John Slaughter. Springer, December 2016. (13k accesses)

4. Madni, A.M., Boehm, B. (Eds.) Engineered Resilient Systems: Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century. Procedia Computer Science 28 (2014), ISSN 1877-0509. Elsevier, 2014.

5. Madni, A.M., Boehm, B., et al. (Eds.) Disciplinary Convergence: Implications for Systems Engineering Research. Springer, 2018. (246k accesses)

6. Madni, A.M., Sievers, M. (Eds.) Model-Based Systems Engineering. MDPI Systems, 2018–2019.

7. Madni, A.M., Boehm, B., et al. (Eds.) Recent Trends and Advances in Model-Based Systems Engineering. Springer, 2022. (139k accesses)

8. Madni, A.M., Augustine, N. (Eds.) Handbook of Model-Based Systems Engineering. Springer, 2023. (147k accesses)

9. Verma, D., Madni, A.M., Hoffenson, S., Xiao, L. (Eds.) Systems Engineering Toward a Smart and Sustainable World: Proceedings of the 2023 Conference on Systems Engineering Research. Springer, 2024.

10. Madni, A.M., et al. (Eds.) Augmented Intelligence for Systems Engineering and Engineered Systems. Springer, expected Fall 2025.

Selected Refereed Journal Publications (2009–Present)

1. Wang, X., Chen, H.-S., Zhou, Z., You, S., Madni, A.M., Kuo, C.-C.J. “MVCOD: Motion-Enhanced Video Camouflaged Object Detection.” IEEE Open Journal of Signal Processing, 2025.

2. Kuo, C.-C.J., Madni, A.M. “Green Learning: Introduction, Examples, and Outlook.” Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation, Vol. 90, February 2023, 103685.

3. Chen, H.-S., Zhu, Y., You, S., Madni, A.M., Kuo, C.-C.J. “GreenCOD: A Green Camouflaged Object Detection Method.” APSIPA Transactions on Signal and Information Processing, Vol. 13, No. 1, e31, December 2024. https://doi.org/10.1561/116.20240009

4. Karwowski, W., Salvendy, G., Albert, L., Kim, W.C., Denton, B., Dessouky, M., Dolgui, A., Duffy, V., Kumara, S., Li, J., Madni, A.M., McGinnis, L., Rouse, W., Shamma, J., Shen, M., Simchi-Levi, D., Swann, J., Tiwari, M.J. “Grand Challenges in Industrial and Systems Engineering.” International Journal of Production Research, 2024, pp. 1–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2024.2432463

5. Chen, H.-S., Zhu, Y., You, S., Madni, A.M., Kuo, C.-C.J. “GreenCOD: A Green Camouflaged Object Detection Method.” APSIPA Transactions on Signal and Information Processing, July 10, 2024.

6. Ragusa, G., Gupta, S.K., Huang, Q., Chen, Y., Madni, A.M., Koenig, S., Leung, L. “Use of Delphi Research Process for Designing, Developing, and Assessing the Importance of Contemporary Advanced Manufacturing Curriculum.” International Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 1–12, 2023.

7. Kuo, C.-C.J., Madni, A.M. “Green Learning: Introduction, Examples, and Outlook.” Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation, Vol. 90, February 2023. (Google Scholar Citations: 114)

8. Singal, A., Iyengar, S.S., Kumar, L., Madni, A.M. “Hardware Routed Quantum Key Distribution Networks.” IET Quantum Communication, Vol. 3, Issue 2, pp. 127–138, June 2022.

9. Madni, A.M. “MBSE Testbed for Rapid, Cost-Effective Prototyping and Evaluation of System Modeling Approaches.” Applied Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 5, 2321, March 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11052321

10. Purohit, S., Madni, A.M. “Analysis of System Integration Strategy with Inter-Level and Intra-Level Dependency Matrix (I2DM).” IEEE Systems Journal, 2021.

11. Pouya, P., Madni, A.M. “Expandable POMDP Framework for Modeling and Analysis of Autonomous Vehicle Behavior.” IEEE Systems Journal, July 2020.

12. Madni, A.M. “Exploiting Augmented Intelligence in Systems Engineering and Engineered Systems.” INSIGHT, Special Issue on Systems Engineering and AI, March 2020.

13. Madni, A.M., Erwin, D., Sievers, M. “Constructing Models for Systems Resilience: Challenges, Concepts, Formal Methods, and Illustrative Examples.” Systems, Vol. 8, No. 3, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems8010003

14. Madni, A.M. “Transdisciplinary Systems Engineering: Exploiting Disciplinary Convergence to Address Grand Challenges.” IEEE SMC Magazine, Vol. 5, Issue 2, pp. 6–11, April 2019.

15. Madni, A.M., Purohit, S. “Economic Analysis of Model-Based Systems Engineering.” Systems, Special Issue on Model-Based Systems Engineering, February 2019.

16. D’Ambrosio, J., Adithan, A., Ordoukhanian, E., Paranandum, P., Ramesh, S., Madni, A.M., Sundaram, P. “An MBSE Approach for Development of Resilient Automated Automotive Systems.” Systems, Special Issue on Model-Based Systems Engineering, January 2019.

17. Ordoukhanian, E., Madni, A.M. “Model-Based Approach to Engineering Resilience in Multi-UAV System-of-Systems.” Systems, Special Issue on Model-Based Systems Engineering, February 2019.

18. Madni, A.M., Madni, C.C., Lucero, D.S. “Leveraging Digital Twin Technology in Model-Based Systems Engineering.” Systems, Special Issue on Model-Based Systems Engineering, February 2019. (Most cited article in Digital Twins & MBSE; Google Scholar Citations: 1237)

19. Madni, A.M., Madni, C.C. “Architectural Framework for Exploring Adaptive Human–Machine Teaming Options in Simulated Dynamic Environments.” Systems, December 2018.

20. Madni, A.M., Sievers, M., Madni, A., Ordoukhanian, E., Pouya, P. “Extending Formal Modeling for Resilient System Design.” INSIGHT, Vol. 21, Issue 3, pp. 34–41, October 2018.

21. Madni, A.M., Sievers, M., Madni, C.C. “Adaptive Cyber-Physical-Human Systems: Exploiting Cognitive Modeling and Machine Learning in the Control Loop.” INSIGHT, Vol. 21, Issue 3, pp. 87–93, 2018.

22. Madni, A.M., Sievers, M. “Model-Based Systems Engineering: Motivation, Current Status, and Research Opportunities.” Systems Engineering, Special 20th Anniversary Issue, Vol. 21, Issue 3, 2018. (Highly cited in MBSE; Google Scholar Citations: 470)

23. Madni, A.M. “People-Driven Software Development: A 21st Century Imperative.” CrossTalk: The Journal of Defense Software Engineering, Vol. 29, No. 2, 2016.

24. Ring, J., Madni, A.M. “Resilience, Latent Faults, and Systems That Learn.” INSIGHT, Special Issue, Vol. 18, Issue 1, April 2015.

25. Madni, A.M. “Expanding Stakeholder Participation in Upfront System Engineering Through Storytelling in Virtual Worlds.” Systems Engineering, Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 16–27, January 2015.

26. Madni, A.M. “A Systems Perspective on Compressed Sensing and Its Use in Reconstructing Sparse Networks.” IEEE Systems Journal, Vol. 8, Issue 1, March 2014.

27. Madni, A.M., Sievers, M. “System of Systems Integration: Key Considerations and Challenges.” Systems Engineering, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 330–347, Fall 2014.

28. Madni, A.M., Sievers, M. “Systems Integration: Key Perspectives, Experiences, and Challenges.” Systems Engineering, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 37–51, Spring 2014.

29. Madni, A.M. “Generating Novel Options During Systems Architecting: Psychological Principles, Systems Thinking, and Computer-Based Aiding.” Systems Engineering, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 1–9, 2014.

30. Neches, R., Madni, A.M. “Towards Affordably Adaptable and Effective Systems.” Systems Engineering, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 224–234, Summer 2013.

31. Madni, A.M. “Elegant Systems Design: Creative Fusion of Simplicity and Power.” Systems Engineering, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 347–354, Fall 2012.

32. Madni, A.M. “Adaptable Platform-Based Engineering: Key Enablers and Outlook for the Future.” Systems Engineering, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 95–107, Spring 2012.

33. Madni, A.M. “Producing the Best for Aerospace and Defense: USC’s Systems Architecting and Engineering Program.” Astropolitics, Vol. 9, pp. 165–172, 2011.

34. Madni, A.M. “Heuristic Development of the Generalized Inverse.” Journal of Integrated Design and Process Science, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 1–7, June 2011.

35. Madni, A.M. “Game-Based Simulation for Cross-Cultural Decision-Making Training.” Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 85–94, March/April 2013.

36. Madni, A.M. “Integrating Humans with and Within Software and Systems: Challenges and Opportunities.” CrossTalk: Journal of Defense Software Engineering, May/June 2011 (“People Solutions” Special Issue).

37. Madni, A.M. “Towards a Generalizable Aiding–Training Continuum for Human Performance Enhancement.” Systems Engineering, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 129–140, Summer 2011.

38. Madni, A.M. “Transdisciplinary System Science: Implications for Healthcare and Other Problems of Global Significance.” Transdisciplinary Journal of Engineering & Science, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 38–54, December 2010.

39. Madni, A.M. “Integrating Humans with Software and Systems: Technical Challenges and a Research Agenda.” Systems Engineering, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 232–245, Fall 2010.

40. Moini, A., Madni, A.M. “Leveraging Biometrics for User Authentication in Online Learning: A Systems Perspective.” IEEE Systems Journal, Special Issue on Biometric Systems, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 469–476, December 2009.

41. Madni, A.M., Andrecut, M. “Efficient Heuristic Approaches to the Weapon Target Assignment Problem.” AIAA Journal of Aerospace Computing, Information, and Communication, Vol. 6, pp. 405–415, June 2009.

42. Madni, A.M., Jackson, S. “Towards a Conceptual Framework for Resilience Engineering.” IEEE Systems Journal, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 181–191, 2009. (Highly cited in resilience engineering; Google Scholar Citations: 902)

Other Information

Azad Madni is a University Professor of Astronautics, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering in the University of Southern California. He is the holder of the Northrop Grumman Fred O’Green Chair in Engineering, and the Executive Director of USC’s Systems Architecting and Engineering Program. He also holds a joint appointment in the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and courtesy appointments in the Rossier School of Education and Keck School of Medicine. He is the Founding Director of the Distributed Autonomy and Intelligent Systems Laboratory and is a faculty affiliate of USC’s Ginsberg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics in the Keck School of Medicine. He is the founding director of the Ph.D. degree program in Systems Engineering in Astronautics Department. He is also a Senior Fellow of the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute founded by Nobel Laureate, George Olah. He is a member of the London Digital Twin Research Centre. He is the founder and CEO of Intelligent Systems Technology, Inc., an award-winning hi-tech company specializing in model-based approaches for addressing scientific and societal problems of national and global significance. He is the Chief Systems Engineering Advisor to The Aerospace Corporation. He has served as Principal Investigator on 97 R&D projects totaling $100M+.