| A.V. Balakrishnan | |
|---|---|
| Residence | United States |
| Citizenship | American |
| Fields | Control theory |
| Alma mater | University of Madras University of Southern California |
| Notable awards | Richard E. Bellman Control Heritage Award |
A.V. Balakrishnan (A. stands for Arun) is an American applied mathematician and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a recipient of the Richard E. Bellman Control Heritage Award in 2001 for "pioneering contributions to stochastic and distributed systems theory, optimization, control, and aerospace flight systems research".
Balakrishnan grew up in Chennai, India, and entered the University of Madras in the early 1940s. While there he earned a scholarship from the Indian government to study in the United States and learn to produce documentaries. Upon arriving at the University of Southern California, known for its film school, he initially wanted to become a sound engineer on Hollywood films. At the time, he was unable to get a position because he was not a member of any of the guilds, which controlled who was able to get a jobs. Therefore, after earning his first masters degree in cinema in 1949, he switched to electrical engineering. Balakrishnan received his M.S. in Electrical Engineering and his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Southern California in 1950 and 1954, respectively.
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