Mahdi Al-Husseini, a distinguished Georgia Tech graduate (BME '18, PP '18, MS CS '20) and U.S. Army captain, has been selected as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University. This prestigious fellowship, which supports exceptional students from around the world, will provide Mahdi with funding and leadership development opportunities as he continues his groundbreaking research in aeronautics and astronautics.
Currently pursuing a PhD at Stanford, Mahdi has built an impressive career at the intersection of biomedical engineering, public policy, computer science, and aerospace research. His work focuses on optimizing medical evacuation systems, applying artificial intelligence to life-saving rescue operations, and improving battlefield evacuation protocols.
Born in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and of Palestinian and Egyptian heritage, Mahdi was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, spending summers in his father’s hometown in Qatanna, Jerusalem. His global perspective has inspired him to leverage engineering for humanitarian impact. As an aeromedical evacuation officer and HH-60M Black Hawk pilot-in-command, he has logged over 800 flight hours across more than 20 aircraft models, contributing to military operations that save lives in high-risk environments.
Mahdi’s commitment to innovation is evident in his extensive research portfolio and technological contributions. He has authored numerous first-author publications in prestigious journals and conferences, including the Journal of Aerospace Information Systems and the Army War College’s Parameters. His work focuses on developing AI-driven methods to optimize evacuation routes and deploy medical aircraft more effectively, revolutionizing emergency response in military and civilian sectors.
Beyond academia, Mahdi is a licensed professional engineer, registered patent agent, and prolific inventor with over 30 patents and patent applications. His contributions have been widely recognized, with several of his patented technologies acquired by both the military and industry. Notably, he received the Major General Greene Innovation Award for developing a helicopter hoist stabilization system designed to improve medical evacuation missions. He also earned the XVIII Airborne Corps Dragon Lair Award for his work on an AI-powered aircraft maneuver training tool.
Mahdi’s military unit, Lightning DUSTOFF, was honored with the Airbus Robert M. Leich Army Aviation Award for its groundbreaking application of artificial intelligence in medical aircraft dispatch. Under his leadership, the unit pioneered a military exercise that used AI to coordinate medical evacuations between distant islands and moving watercraft, marking a historic advancement in rescue logistics.
As a Knight-Hennessy Scholar, Mahdi will gain access to a global network of scholars and innovators, further empowering his mission to revolutionize aerospace medicine and rescue operations. He will complete his PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Stanford School of Engineering and will also pursue an MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. His selection highlights his exceptional achievements, dedication to service, and commitment to shaping the future of flight and emergency medical response. This marks Mahdi’s second prestigious fellowship this year, after receiving the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans earlier this Spring.
For more information about the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program, contact Georgia Tech's Prestigious Fellowships Advising, at prestigiousfellowships@gatech.edu.