Ali Ahmadi, Ph.D. ('71, Aerospace Engineering)

Professor Emeritus

B.S. Aerospace Engineering, Cal Poly Pomona, 1971

M.S., Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT, 1974

Ph.D., Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT, 1980

Ali Ahmadi’s love for aviation began as a child in Iran, captivated by Iranian Air Force pilots dogfighting high over his home. That passion brought him to Cal Poly Pomona with a student visa and $300, paying his way as a draftsman. He earned his BS with honors, then pursued a master’s at MIT in experimental hypersonics and a Ph.D. in 3D unsteady aerodynamics under Professor Sheila Widnall, who later became the first female Air Force Secretary. After five years as a scientist at Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., he returned to Cal Poly Pomona as an associate professor in 1985.

Appointed interim chair of the Department of Aerospace Engineering in 2003 and chair in 2005, Ahmadi sparked a transformative era. He worked to create the first Education Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the U.S. Air Force (USAF), which has thus far secured over $15 million, fueling departmental growth. During his tenure, Ahmadi led the building of an outstanding faculty team by recruiting top industry experts—directors, managers, and engineers—bringing over 200 years of combined cutting-edge aerospace experience, as well as Ph.D. graduates from top research universities. This strategic hiring, team building, and funding enabled the construction of modern labs, including Subsonic and Supersonic Wind Tunnels, UAV Lab, Astronautics Lab, and Liquid Rocket Lab, helping train industry-ready aerospace engineers. During his tenure as chair, the department doubled in size to over 700 students, becoming California’s largest aerospace program.

Ahmadi’s vision and leadership helped elevate Cal Poly Pomona’s standing nationwide, with outstanding faculty and modern labs driving student success. Department students have won top honors in national competitions over two dozen times. “Excel in something useful, with depth and breadth,” he advises.  “Exceed expectations, because no one is looking for mediocrity.” After 40 years, Ahmadi’s legacy, built upon the works of the great professors who founded and developed the department, is a new, large, modern program whose graduates are sought after in industry and government, and an enduring foundation that younger leadership from within the department are already building upon for continued future success.