Charles K. Kao
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219701032
2008-06-16T14:02:16Z
Demophon
1837101
'''Charles Kuen Kao''' (高錕; [[pinyin]]: Gāo Kūn; born [[November 4]], [[1933]]) is a pioneer in the use of [[Optical fiber|fiber optics]] in [[telecommunications]].
He was born in [[Shanghai]] in 1933, graduated in [[electrical engineering]] from the [[University of London]] in [[1957]], and then worked as an [[engineer]] for [[Standard Telephones and Cables]] (STC) and their research centre Standard Telecommunications Laboratories in Harlow, England (now [[Nortel|Nortel Networks]]).
He was awarded a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] degree in electrical engineering by the University of London in [[1965]], and the following year with George Hockham did his pioneering work in the realisation of fiber optics as a telecommunications medium, by demonstrating that the high-loss of existing fiber optics arose from impurities in the glass, rather than from an underlying problem with the technology itself.
Since leaving STL, he has worked as director of research at ITT, Vice-Chancellor of the [[Chinese University of Hong Kong]], and CEO of Transtech. He is currently Chairman and CEO of ITX Services. He is also a notable alumnus of [[St. Joseph's College, Hong Kong|St. Joseph's College]] in Hong Kong.
{{s-start}}
{{s-awards}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Andrew Viterbi]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal]]|years=1985}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Bernard Widrow]]}}
{{s-aca}}
{{s-bef|before=Ma Lin}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Vice-Chancellor|Vice Chancellor]] of [[Chinese University of Hong Kong|The Chinese University of Hong Kong]] |years=1987-1996}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Arthur Li]]}}
{{s-end}}
==References==
* Hecht, Jeff, ''City of Light, The Story of Fiber Optics'', Oxford University Press, New York, 1999 (ISBN 0-19-510818-3)
==External links==
* http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/features/aoc/aoc.kao.html
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4671788.stm Lighting the way to a revolution]
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[[Category:1933 births|Kao, Charles K.]]
[[Category:Living people|Kao, Charles K.]]
[[Category:Chinese engineers|Kao, Charles K.]]
[[Category:Chinese scientists|Kao, Charles K.]]
[[Category:Chinese University of Hong Kong|Kao, Charles]]
[[Category:Vice chancellors and presidents of universities in Hong Kong|Kao, Charles]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of London|Kao, Charles]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Greenwich|Kao, Charles]]
[[Category:Academics of Imperial College London|Kao, Charles]]
[[Category:Japan Prize laureates|Kao]]
[[Category:Members of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts|Kao, Charles]]
[[zh:高錕]]