_DSC5433a.jpgCSUN paid tribute to one of the college’s most steadfast and distinguished friends last May, when the university presented Dr. Asad Madni with an honorary doctorate. Madni, a prolific and pioneering researcher, influential business executive, generous civic leader and member of the National Academy of Engineering, has shared his knowledge, passion and commitment to education with the university and the college for more than two decades.

An internationally recognized authority on the development and commercialization of intelligent sensors, systems and instrumentation, Madni earned his B.S. and M.S. from UCLA and his Ph.D. from California Coast University. His initial contact with CSUN came in the mid-1970s, shortly after he joined Systron Donner Corporation’s Microwave Division in Van Nuys, where he held a series of senior technical and executive positions and eventually became chairman, president and CEO of the corporation.

“We were looking to formalize our educational program for technicians, engineers, scientists and other employees,” he says. “We wanted a university that taught relevant subjects, had excellent faculty, was convenient to attend and had an environment that was conducive to collaboration. It was not very difficult to conclude that CSUN possessed those qualities”

At Systron Donner, Madni made seminal contributions to the development of RF and microwave systems and instrumentation. In 1992, after Systron Donner was acquired, he joined the resulting company, BEI Technologies, Inc., where he served as president, chief operating officer and CTO, remaining until his retirement in 2006. Under his leadership, the company’s technical advances found their way into the Hubble Space Telescope and passenger vehicles around the world.

50239628_00701_0179a.jpgWhile at BEI, Madni became more involved at CSUN, serving on the Industry Advisory Boards of both the Tseng College and the College of Engineering and Computer Science and helping to revive a dying IEEE student chapter. He facilitated alliances with local, regional and national engineering programs to improve teaching and research and also led the development of certificate programs.

“Dr. Madni’s contributions have helped retrain several engineers for placement in industrial and commercial sectors,” says CECS dean S.K. Ramesh.

He has been especially effective in his work with students, mentoring graduate and undergraduate CSUN students and serving on thesis committees. Some have gone on to international renown.

Highly respected in the financial community as a creative and visionary leader, Madni is currently an independent consultant; distinguished adjunct professor and distinguished scientist in electrical engineering at UCLA; distinguished college professor at the TCI College of Technology in New York; adjunct professor at Ryerson University; and executive managing director and CTO at Crocker Capital, a venture firm specializing in emerging technologies.

Madni has been recognized countless times with awards and honors from national and international organizations. At a luncheon on May 22, in the presence of family, friends, colleagues and some of his former students, he received yet another: an honorary DSc. from CSUN, awarded by the CSU Board of Trustees.

“It was extremely gratifying to know that somebody realized the value of the contributions I made,” he says. “I was humbled and very grateful.”