Leonid Rudin
Also known as L. Rudin, Lenny Rudin
Leonid Rudin is an image-processing researcher known for a 1992 method for removing noise from images. He earned a Caltech PhD in 1987 and co-founded Cognitech, a company that develops forensic video enhancement software and hardware, in 1988. A total variation method he developed with Stan Osher and Emad Fatemi was a key factor in a black hole image revealed in April 2019. As of October 2026, he is co-founder and CEO of Cognitech.
- Now at
- CogniTech
- Works
- 28
- Citations
- 17,564
- h-index
- 8
Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.
Timeline
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1987
A Caltech PhD thesis
He earns a Caltech PhD in 1987, and his thesis first proposes the total variation theory of image processing.
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1988
Co-founding Cognitech
He co-founds Cognitech in 1988, a company that develops forensic video enhancement software and hardware.
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1992
A total variation method
In 1992 he, Stan Osher, and Emad Fatemi publish a total variation method for removing noise from images.
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2010
An American Technology Award
In 2010 Cognitech's CEO, Dr. Rudin, receives the American Technology Award in the aerospace and defense category.
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2019
Helping image a black hole
In April 2019 a never-before-seen image of a black hole is revealed, and the total variation algorithm he helped create in 1992 is a key factor.
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As of October 2026
Leading Cognitech as CEO
He is co-founder and CEO of Cognitech, a company that develops forensic video enhancement software and hardware.
Sources and credits
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