Distinguished Professor Asad M Madni Elected an Honorary Fellow of The Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), Scotlands National Academy, has announced its 2025 cohort of new Fellows, celebrating leading minds from across science, the arts, business, public life, and academia. This year’s intake includes outstanding individuals whose contributions are shaping society in Scotland and beyond.
Distinguished Professor Asad M Madni has been elected an Honorary Fellow (HonFRSE), the society’s most selective and highest honor, bestowed on members of the Royal Family or other individuals of truly exceptional distinction who are internationally renowned.The only other Honorary Fellow elected this year is His Royal Highness Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh, joining the Society’s patron His Majesty King Charles III, The Prince of Wales and The Princess Royal.
According to RSE “Pioneer of space technology, Professor Asad Madni, led the development of the control system for the Hubble Space Telescope’s star selector. The star selector forms part of Hubbles Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) system, enabling it to track objects in space more accurately.The Hubble Telescope was launched by NASA on 24 April 1990 with the ongoing mission to understand the universe. Hubble has transmitted images from deep space ever since – among them some of the most famous images of the cosmos such as the Hubble Ultra-Deep Field and the Pillars of Creation.
Professor Madni is also lauded as the inventor of the GyroChip, a component that is used around the globe in a variety of aircraft for navigation and stabilization, and in passenger vehicles for stabilization and protection against rolling. Tens of millions of these components have been produced and incorporated in modern cars, which in turn has made vehicle travel safer worldwide.
Professor Madni said: ” I was overjoyed when I received notification that I had been elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. To be included with past recipients of this accolade whose contributions have shaped the evolution of human progress is a most gratifying and humbling experience. I feel truly fortunate to have my and my team’s scientific and technical innovations and contributions play an important role in saving millions of lives around the world; in helping us extend the limits of space exploration and enhancing our understanding of the universe; and in providing for the defense and security of our nation and our allies.”
President of the RSE, Professor Sir John Ball PRSE, said: “It is my sincere pleasure to welcome each of our new Fellows – from the worlds of academia, public service, business, and the arts – to Scotland’s National Academy.” They represent excellence in their fields and will reinforce our ability to tackle the challenges that Scotland, and indeed the wider world, faces now and in the future.
Below is the link to the official RSE announcement: