USC’s first endowed chair named after the university’s current president and his wife is now officially held by Professor Shri Narayanan of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
An interdisciplinary researcher known for far-ranging work that seeks to improve society and the human condition, Narayanan is a professor in the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering. He also holds appointments in computer science, linguistics, psychology, neuroscience and pediatrics.
Narayanan was installed as the first holder of the Niki and C. L. Max Nikias Chair in Engineering on Feb. 15 in the Ming Hsieh Boardroom at Tutor Hall before a crowd of about 100 friends and colleagues. The endowed chair was created in 2016 through the gift of an anonymous donor.
“One of my most enduring and heartfelt achievements while at USC Viterbi was to help recruit Shri,” Nikias said. “Seventeen years ago, one could not overestimate his towering intellect and creativity.”
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