| Our Patron - Prof Charles Kao
Charles Kuen Kao was born in 1933
in Shanghai, China. He received a B.Sc. degree in 1957 in
Electrical Engineering from the University of London and a
Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in 1965, also from
the University of London.
He joined ITT in 1957 and started as
an engineer at Standard Telephones and Cables Ltd., a subsidiary
of ITT in UK. In 1960 he joined Standard Telecommunications
Laboratories Ltd., UK, ITT’s central research facility
in Europe, and rose through the ranks from a research scientist
to a research manager during his 10 years of service there.
It was during this period that Dr. Kao made his pioneering
work to the field of optical fiber communications. Recognized
as the “Father of Fiber Optics”, Dr. Kao predicted
the performance levels fiber optics could attain, and prescribed
the basic design and means to make fiber optics a practical
and significant communications/transmission medium. He there
after contributed significantly to the development and subsequent
commercialization of optical fiber communication components
and systems.
His research experience has included
theoretical and experimental studies of electromagnetic waves
at microwave and optical frequencies, as well as telecommunications
systems techniques and applications. As the first executive
scientist and subsequently the corporate director of research
at ITT, Dr. Kao launched in early 1980’s a program addressing
the high frequency limits of signal processing known as “terabit
technology” to assist R&D managers to improve effectiveness
of materials and device research.
In October 1987, Dr. Kao took up the
position as the Vice Chancellor (President) of The Chinese
University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong. During this period he
was much involved with local businesses and Government policies.
This has entailed developing relationships in the rest of
South East Asia as well as in China. He retired from this
position in August 1996. He served as Chairman and CEO of
Transtech Services Ltd. from 1996 to early 2001. Presently
he is Chairman and CEO of ITX Services Limited, specializing
in technology transfer and outlook projects. He remains as
member of a number of advisory committees of the HKSAR Government.
Dr. Kao has published and presented
well over 200 papers, and edited and authored several texts
on optical fibers and a book on the business of high technology.
He is Member of the National Academy of Engineering (USA),
Fellow of the Royal Society (UK), Fellow of the Academia Sinica,
Taiwan, Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Foreign Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering
Sciences IVA (Sweden) and Fellow of IEEE (USA), IEE (UK),
and The Royal Academy of Engineering (UK). He was a past President
of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences (HK).
Among his many international honours
and awards are the Stewart Ballantine Medal, Rank Prize, L.M.
Ericsson International Prize, Alexander Graham Bell Medal,
Marconi International Fellowship, Faraday Medal of IEE, the
Japan Prize, and the Charles Stark Draper Prize. Asiaweek
Magazine elected him as Asian of the Century in Science and
Technology in 1999.
Prof Kao also serves on a number of
Boards of various companies.
Prof. Kao's sharing
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