C. L. Max Nikias served as the eleventh president of the University of Southern California, a position he held from August 3, 2010, to August 7, 2018. He is currently the president emeritus and life trustee of the USC and the holder of the Malcolm R. Currie chair in technology and the humanities. He joined USC in 1991, and in addition to his work as a professor, he served as director of a media center, dean of engineering, provost, and president of the university. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Inventors. He is the recipient of the UNICEF Spirit of Compassion Award and the Academic Leadership Award of the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He is recognized internationally for his pioneering research in digital signal processing and digital media. The U.S. Department of War has adopted a number of his innovations and patents in sonar, radar, and communication systems.