Engr. Prof. Augustine Esogbue, NNOM, serves since 2012, as Professor Emeritus at The Georgia Institute of Technology’s Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering in Atlanta, for 25 years consecutively the nations top rated program of its kind, in recognition of his 40 plus years of outstanding contributions and distinguished service to that world class university. Following a brilliant and impeccable academic high school performance at St. Johns College Kaduna, and a stint as foundation student at the Federal Emergency School of Science, Onikan, Lagos, young Esogbue proceeded to the United States in 1961 as a recipient of the coveted  ASPAU scholarship from The Africa-America Institute (AAI). Prof. Esogbue received the Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical-Engineering with minor in Mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1964. This was quickly followed with an M.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Columbia University, New York in 1965. He then earned a Ph.D in Industrial and  Systems Engineering/ Operations Research from The University of Southern California (USC) in 1968 becoming simultaneously the first African to obtain a Ph. D in Engineering from that elite institution as well as the first person of African descent in the world to earn a Ph. D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering/Operations Research field.

  Prof. Emeritus Esogbue’s first academic appointment was as an Assistant Professor of Operations Research and Member of the Systems Research Center at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio in 1968. Prof. Esogbue joined the faculty of Georgia Tech in 1972 as an Associate Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering under a joint appointment with the Health Systems Research Center. His work in health systems engineering and bio-mathematics led him to MIT where he obtained a post doctoral certificate in Dynamics of Health Systems Modeling in 1974.  An accomplished pioneer engineer and research mathematician, he was promoted in 1977 to a full professorship with tenure at Georgia Tech becoming the first black elevated to that post in Georgia Techs history and the first African at that level in a top ranked engineering research university in the United States. His research interests and globally acclaimed expertise include dynamic programming, fuzzy sets, intelligent control and decision making  in uncertain /fuzzy dynamical environments, and operations research with applications to socio-technical systems such as health care, water resource management, disaster control planning and safety critical systems  As Founding Director of the Intelligent Systems and Controls Laboratory at Georgia Tech, Prof. Esogbue investigated a hybrid approach to intelligent control via fuzzy sets, neural networks, reinforcement learning theories and dynamic programming as well as its application to various real world large-scale, nonlinear and uncertain dynamical systems.  The list includes operations research with applications to socio-technical systems such as health care, water resource management, disaster control planning and safety critical systems His creative and intellectual products have been disseminated in top journals and publications available globally and used beneficially to drive complex operations and systems in both the advanced and developing worlds. His efficient dynamic programming algorithm “DYNPRO”, developed as a development engineer at the Water Resources Center, University of California, is the brain behind the online control of multipurpose reservoirs in California and elsewhere. One of his most recent technological developments, “SFLAC -the neuro-fuzzy adaptive controller-C” has won acclaim for its applicability to an array of important problem domains including those found in power systems stabilization, tethered satellite and space control systems, telecommunications and manufacturing.

Professor Emeritus Esogbue is an elected Fellow and Leader of several reputed world professional societies including the two elite premier Academies in his native Nigeria, Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science (FAS) and Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (FAEng). Prof. Esogbue is a 2003 Charter Member of NASA’s Senior Board, the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel in the United States of America and was awarded its 2006 Public Service Medal and cited “for outstanding leadership and contributions which will benefit the Nations Aerospace program for generations to come”. He and his team were also named winners of NASAs prestigious Aerospace Flight Awareness Team Award reserved for that single group adjudged to have made the most significant contributions to NASAs program that year. Also in 2006, Prof. Esogbue was awarded Nigerias highest national prize, the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) honor in engineering/technology for intellectual and professional excellence and outstanding contributions to national and global development.  His alma mater, UCLA conferred on him the prestigious 2010 UCLA Engineering Outstanding Alumni in Academia award.

Professor Emeritus Esogbue’s contributions to engineering education are legendary. He has produced and mentored generations of high quality scholars and leaders for industry, government and academia. He has changed the landscape of engineering population in America with his highly successful programs to cultivate and nurture minority interests in the STEM fields.  In the recent conferment of The National Chairs Council Engineering Excellence and Distinguished Service  Award which followed his 1999 Golden Torch Lifetime Achievement in Education Award, Prof. Emeritus Augustine O. Esogbue, academician, leader, teacher , mentor and advisor of generations of NSBE leaders, in appreciation for Lifetime Outstanding and Dedicated Service to the National Society of Black Engineers, was cited for his "passion, commitment, mentorship and selfless contributions to engineering excellence and student achievement which exemplifies NSBEs burning desire to impact the world".

Prof. Esogbue is a proud alumnus of The African American Institute (AAI) and was one of the lead organizers for the successful AAI Nigerian Alumni Reunion — under the theme, “Looking back 50 years and Moving Forward into the Future” — in 2011 in Lagos, Nigeria where he serves as Vice President of the Africa Futures Foundation. He is also actively involved in civic activities in Atlanta, including the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission (Vice-Chair), the Atlanta Lagos Sister Cities Committee (Founding Chair); American Nigerian International Chamber of Commerce (Founding Chairman, Board of Trustees); Leadership Atlanta Development Corporation, and the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. The State of Georgia recognized his distinguished contributions to the City of Atlanta, the State of Georgia, and the United States of America with the 2001 Outstanding Citizen award, the honor and appointment as a Goodwill Ambassador for the State of Georgia, and the proclamation of August 16, 2004 as Dr. Augustine O. Esogbue Day in Atlanta. Prof. Esogbue has given freely of his services to his native Nigeria in many varied capacities including Consultant, East Central State Water Board(1975); UNDP-TOKTEN Post Graduate Course  Professor/Expert Consultant, National Mathematical Center (1997), Nigerian Academy of Sciences, Academic Secretary Physical Sciences; Nigerian Space Research and Development Agency; the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission; Abuja Technology Village Park; Federal Ministry of Labor and National Productivity and currently, Founding Trustee and Board Member, National Competitiveness Council of Nigeria (NCCN) where he is a Member of the Corruption, Security, and National Image Working Group.

Prof. Emeritus Esogbue has been honored by various Nigerian government and countless Diaspora organizations for his professional excellence, integrity, leadership and lifelong dedication to the promotion of Nigerias image and the Diaspora cause. Professor Emeritus Augustine Esogbue is the recipient of the 2013 Stephen Oluwole  Awokoya Foundation for Science Education Distinguished Partner in Science Education Award in recognition of his interest, contributions and encouragement to the growth of Science Education and Youth Development in Nigeria. In September 2013, he was presented to and honored by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in New York as Top Among the Top Ten Nigerian Americans uplifting Nigerias image globally. The Christian Association of Nigerian Americans (CANAN) presented him with their Lifetime Achievement in Engineering and Technology award while the Board of Trustees of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization of North America (NiDOA) also presented him with their Excellence in Leadership award. Earlier in 2009, the Nigerians in Diaspora of Europe (NiDOE) on behalf of the Global Diaspora Group at the end of the Diaspora Day celebrations in Abuja had honored his leadership, professional excellence and distinguished contributions to the Diaspora Policy. At the Nigerian Independence Day Celebrations in Atlanta in 2013, Ambassador G. Teneilabe presented him, on behalf of the Consulate General and Nigerians in the South Eastern United States of America, a “Lifetime Achievement, Professional Excellence, and Image Award”.

SPECIALIZATIONS

• Industrial and Systems Engineering