AI3 Seminar
Monday, December 7, 2026
12:30 PM
New Computer Science Bldg 120
Guru Madhavan
Norman R. Augustine Senior Scholar and Senior Director of Programs National Academy of Engineering
Short bio: Guru Madhavan is the Norman R. Augustine Senior Scholar and Senior Director of Programs at the National Academy of Engineering. He has served as a technical advisor to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the European Union Malaria Fund. Early in his career, he worked in process control and product development, including in the medical device industry, contributing to the research and development of surgical catheters for cardiac ablation and neuromuscular stimulators for improving blood circulation.
A systems engineer by background, he received his undergraduate degree with distinction from the University of Madras and three graduate degrees—an M.S. and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering and an M.B.A.—and an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York.
His recent honors include the ASME Henry Laurence Gantt Medal for business leadership, the AAMI Laufman-Greatbatch Award for contributions to health technology, the IEEE Norbert Wiener Award for Social and Professional Responsibility, the IEEE Alfred Goldsmith Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Communication, the IEEE-USA Award for Distinguished Literary Contributions Furthering Public Understanding and the Advancement of the Engineering Profession, and the George F. McClure Citation of Honor for engineering leadership. He is an elected member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and a fellow of AAAS, AIMBE, ASME, and IET, a Companion of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
He has given TEDx talks on engineering resilience and maintenance, and his books include the nonfiction "Applied Minds: How Engineers Think," "Wicked Problems: How to Engineer a Better World," and its companion "The Blue Box: Ed Link and the Birth of Modern Aviation" all from W.W. Norton.