Henry Samueli, a distinguished engineer and philanthropist, has been awarded the 2025 IEEE Medal of Honor by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). This award is the highest recognition given by IEEE, which is known as the largest technical professional organization in the world. The award comes with a $2 million prize, a significant increase from its previous amount of $50,000.
Samueli, who is the chairman of Broadcom Inc. and namesake of UCLA’s engineering school, was recognized for his pioneering research in broadband communication and networking technologies. He has also been noted for his support in promoting STEM education. “I am deeply honored and humbled to receive the IEEE Medal of Honor,” said Samueli during a press conference in New York City.
The formal presentation will take place at an IEEE conference in Tokyo this April. Samueli’s connection with UCLA runs deep as he holds three degrees from there: a bachelor’s degree obtained in 1975, a master’s degree in 1976, and a doctorate earned in 1980. His career began on UCLA’s engineering faculty before co-founding Broadcom Corp., now Broadcom Inc., which is based in Palo Alto, California.
Samueli holds over 75 U.S. patents and has made broadband internet access more accessible through innovations like cable modems. His philanthropic efforts include donations totaling nearly $190 million to UCLA alone, supporting various initiatives such as endowed faculty chairs and diversity expansion programs within engineering disciplines.
Ah-Hyung “Alissa” Park, Dean of Engineering at UCLA Samueli, praised him saying: “This is a wonderful and well-deserved recognition for Henry.” She emphasized his role as an inspiration not only as an engineer but also as a business leader and philanthropist.
Samueli’s accolades extend beyond this recent honor; he has received several international awards including the Marconi Society Prize and Fellowship along with being inducted into prestigious organizations like the National Academy of Engineering.
The IEEE Medal of Honor dates back to 1917 when it was first established as the Institute of Radio Engineers’ Medal of Honor before merging with another organization to form what is now known today as IEEE.
Reflecting on receiving this accolade among other esteemed figures like Nobel laureates Paul Lauterbur and William Shockley or Claude Shannon—the father of information theory—Samueli stated: “IEEE is an invaluable resource to its hundreds of thousands of members worldwide.” He plans to use part of his prize money towards philanthropy efforts further benefiting society.
