Chih-Kung Lee (C.K. Lee; ; born October 1959) is a Taiwanese mechanical engineer. He is a distinguished professor of the Graduate Institute of Electronics Engineering, the Institute of Applied Mechanics (IAM) and the Dept. of Engineering Science & Ocean Engineering at

National Taiwan University National Taiwan University (NTU; zh, t=國立臺灣大學, poj=Kok-li̍p Tâi-oân Tāi-ha̍k, p=, s=) is a National university, national Public university, public research university in Taipei, Taiwan. Founded in 1928 during Taiwan under J ...

. He received his B.S. degree in

civil engineering Civil engineering is a regulation and licensure in engineering, professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads ...

from

and then obtained his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

, majoring in theoretical & applied mechanics, with a minor in physics. He is known as the inventor of modal sensors and actuators. In the past, he has been an advisor to the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Economic Affairs and various other governmental agencies, as well as the director general of engineering & applied sciences at Taiwan's National Science Council (NSC). Currently, he is the chairman of

Industrial Technology Research Institute The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI; ) is a technology research and development institution in Taiwan. It was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Hsinchu, Hsinchu City, Taiwan, with branch offices in the United States, U.S., ...

(ITRI) and Institute for Information Industry (III).

Personal background

Lee was born in

Taipei, Taiwan , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...

. He received his B.S. degree in civil engineering from

in 1981. After serving his two years

mandatory military service Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it contin ...

in Taiwan's Air Force, he continued his graduate studies with a fellowship at

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, where he received a M.S. and Ph.D., majoring in theoretical & applied mechanics, with a minor in physics. During his PhD studies at Cornell, he developed

piezoelectric Piezoelectricity (, ) is the electric charge that accumulates in certain solid materials—such as crystals, certain ceramics, and biological matter such as bone, DNA, and various proteins—in response to applied stress (mechanics), mechanical s ...

modal sensors and actuators. This innovation was important in the control of flexible structures as it resolved modal spillover. In 1987, Lee joined IBM's

Almaden Research Center IBM Research is the research and development division for IBM, an American multinational information technology company. IBM Research is headquartered at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York, near IBM headquarters ...

San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...

, as a research staff member and later as a staff to the IBM ARC Laboratory Director. His research work at IBM was primarily on the interdisciplinary areas related to

magnetic disk Magnetic storage or magnetic recording is the storage of data on a magnetized medium. Magnetic storage uses different patterns of magnetisation in a magnetizable material to store data and is a form of non-volatile memory. The information is ac ...

drives,

optoelectronic Optoelectronics (or optronics) is the study and application of electronic devices and systems that find, detect and control light, usually considered a sub-field of photonics. In this context, ''light'' often includes invisible forms of radia ...

systems,

metrology Metrology is the scientific study of measurement. It establishes a common understanding of Unit of measurement, units, crucial in linking human activities. Modern metrology has its roots in the French Revolution's political motivation to stan ...

systems and piezoelectric systems. He was awarded an IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement Award for his work on reducing the thermal track mis-registration of the 3.5 inch, 320 MB, IBM 0661 hard disk file, a highly profitable commercial product at that time. He received two distinguished Invention Awards for his inventions and patents on laser encoders, nanometer fly height measurement systems, piezoelectric strain rate gages, and acceleration rate sensors for early shock arrival. His younger brother is Howard Lee.

Research interests

In 1994, he joined the faculty of

’s Institute of Applied Mechanics where he co-founded the Nano-Bio-MEMS research group. He is a well-recognized expert in the areas of flexible structure control, shock sensing, and sensor development due to his research work on distributed

piezoelectric sensors A piezoelectric sensor is a device that uses the piezoelectric effect to measure changes in pressure, acceleration, temperature, strain, or force by converting them to an electrical charge. The prefix ''piezo-'' is Greek for 'press' or 'squeeze' ...

and actuators. He has directed many research projects in the areas of ultra-high performance laser

Doppler The Doppler effect (also Doppler shift) is the change in the frequency of a wave in relation to an observer who is moving relative to the source of the wave. The ''Doppler effect'' is named after the physicist Christian Doppler, who described ...

interferometers, laser encoders, sphere

ellipsometry Ellipsometry is an optical technique for investigating the dielectric properties (complex refractive index or dielectric function) of thin films. Ellipsometry measures the change of polarization upon reflection or transmission and compares it ...

analyzers, curved distributed piezoelectric sensors/actuators,

dot matrix A dot matrix is a 2-dimensional patterned Array data structure, array, used to represent characters, symbols and images. Most types of modern technology use dot matrices for display of information, including mobile phones, televisions, and pri ...

writers, diffractive optical elements/systems, and laser writers. His specialty lies in systems integration which combines mechanics,

optics Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of optical instruments, instruments that use or Photodetector, detect it. Optics usually describes t ...

, electronics,

semiconductors A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. Its conductivity can be modified by adding impurities (" doping") to its crystal structure. When two regions with different doping levels ...

, mechanisms,

, and interface systems to create new innovative systems. He has many research papers in various fields and has over 110 patents, including various

technology transfers Technology transfer (TT), also called transfer of technology (TOT), is the process of transferring (disseminating) technology from the person or organization that owns or holds it to another person or organization, in an attempt to transform invent ...

to industry. He has teamed up with other departments and research teams at other Universities, to focus on topics in medical care, chemical research, electronic engineering and biotechnology. Some results of their research efforts include the Sparkle holographic mastering system, AVID

interferometer Interferometry is a technique which uses the '' interference'' of superimposed waves to extract information. Interferometry typically uses electromagnetic waves and is an important investigative technique in the fields of astronomy, fiber opt ...

vibrometer A laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) is a scientific instrument that is used to make non-contact vibration measurements of a surface. The laser beam from the LDV is directed at the surface of interest, and the vibration amplitude and frequency are ex ...

, an

ellipsometer Ellipsometry is an optical technique for investigating the dielectric properties (complex refractive index or dielectric function) of thin films. Ellipsometry measures the change of polarization upon reflection or transmission and compares it to ...

, an

ultrasonic sensor Ultrasonic transducers and ultrasonic sensors are devices that generate or sense ultrasound energy. They can be divided into three broad categories: transmitters, receivers and transceivers. Transmitters convert electrical signals into ultrasou ...

with

anisotropic Anisotropy () is the structural property of non-uniformity in different directions, as opposed to isotropy. An anisotropic object or pattern has properties that differ according to direction of measurement. For example, many materials exhibit ver ...

beam pattern In the field of antenna design the term radiation pattern (or antenna pattern or far-field pattern) refers to the ''directional'' (angular) dependence of the strength of the radio waves from the antenna or other source.Constantine A. Balanis: "A ...

SARS Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease of zoonotic origin caused by the virus SARS-CoV-1, the first identified strain of the SARS-related coronavirus. The first known cases occurred in November 2002, and the ...

No. 1

antivirus Antivirus software (abbreviated to AV software), also known as anti-malware, is a computer program used to prevent, detect, and remove malware. Antivirus software was originally developed to detect and remove computer viruses, hence the name ...

compound, a flexible electret speaker,W. C. Ko, C. K. Tseng, I. Y. Leu, W. J. Wu, Adam S. Y. Lee and C. K. Lee, "Use of 2-(6-mercaptohexyl) Malonic Acid to Adjust the Morphology and Electret Properties of Cyclic Olefin Copolymer and its Application to Flexible Loudspeakers," Smart Materials and Structures, Vol. 19, No. 5, paper no. 055007 (March 2010). etc., all of which have been technology transferred to industry. The AVID interferometer/vibrometer won

Photonic Photonics is a branch of optics that involves the application of generation, detection, and manipulation of light in the form of photons through emission, transmission, modulation, signal processing, switching, amplification, and sensing. Eve ...

Spectra's Circle of Excellence Award in 1998 for one of the top 25 optoelectronic systems worldwide, the first time a Taiwan company won the award.

Specialties

Optoelectronic and Piezoelectric Systems, MEMS & Nano-Systems, Optoelectronic Systems Design, Precision Metrology, Automation Technology, Biochip Systems, Technology Management.

Careers

*Chairman,

, Taiwan (2017/10~) *Distinguished Professor, Graduate Institute of Electronics Engineering,

(2016/08~) *Distinguished Professor, Institute of Applied Mechanics,

(2007/08~) *Distinguished Professor, Department of

Engineering Science Engineering physics (EP), sometimes engineering science, is the field of study combining pure science disciplines (such as physics, mathematics, chemistry or biology) and engineering disciplines (computer, nuclear, electrical, aerospace, medica ...

and

Ocean Engineering Marine engineering is the engineering of boats, ships, submarines, and any other marine vessel. Here it is also taken to include the engineering of other ocean systems and structures – referred to in certain academic and professional circ ...

(2007/08~) *Advisor, Ministry of Education, Taiwan (2002/01~2004/07, 2010/10~) *Consultant, Taiwan Intellectual Property Training Academy (2007/01~) *Taiwan Member of the Board, Pan Wen Yuan Foundation (2007/09~) *President,

Institute for Information Industry The Institute for Information Industry (III; zh, c=資訊工業策進會, p=Zīxùn Gōngyè Cèjìnhuì, abbreviated zh, c=資策會, p=Zīcèhuì) was established in 1979 as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to support the communication ...

, Taiwan (2010/08~2012/09) *Executive Vice-President,

, Taiwan (2007/10~2010/07) *Director General, Industrial Economics & Knowledge Center (IEK), Institute for Information Industry, Taiwan (2009/05~2009/10) *Director General, Information and Communications Research Laboratories (ICL), Institute for Information Industry, Taiwan (2009/09~2009/12) *Director General, Department of Engineering and Applied Science, National Science Council (2004/08~2007/07) *Researcher, National Applied Research Laboratories, Taiwan (2004/03~2007/09) *Managing Supervisor, Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association, Taiwan (2006/04~2007/07) *Director, Biomedical Research and Development, Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park,

(2003/10~2006/08) *Committee Member, Commission on Research and Development,

(2002/08~2005/07) *Director, Division of Strategic Planning, Office of Research and Development,

(2002/02~2004/07) *Program Director, MEMS & Nanotechnology Engineering Advancement Program, National Science Council, Taiwan Program Director MEMS Program, National Science Council, Taiwan (1999/03~2001/04) *Director, NDT&M Lab, Tjing Ling Industrial Research Institute,

(1996/01~2000/12) *

IBM Almaden Research Center IBM Research is the research and development division for IBM, an American multinational information technology company. IBM Research is headquartered at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York, near IBM headquarters ...

, USA Research Staff Member 1987/06 to 1994/02

Honors and awards

*Outstanding Research Award, National Science Council, Taiwan (1999–2005, 2010–2013) *Fellow, Society of Theoretical & Applied Mechanics, Taiwan (November 2012) *Gold Medal Prize, The 26th World Genius Convention (October 2012) *Industry Contribution Award, SEMI Taiwan (2010, 2011, 2012) *2011 International Invention Hall of Fame and

Lifetime Achievement Award Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include: A * A.C. ...

, Taiwan International Invention Award Winners Association (November 2011) *Chief Editor, International Journal of Automation and Smart Technology (Since March 2011) *Fellow, Chinese Society for Management of Technology, Taiwan (November 2010) *Fellow, Chinese Institute of Automation Engineers, Taiwan (January 2010) *Optical Engineering Award, Taiwan Photonics Society (December 2009) *Flexio, Red Dot Award: Design Concept (2009) *FleXpeaker, ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...

'' 2009 Technology Innovation Award: Consumer Electronics *Excellent Project Award (ITRI Innovative Research Project), 2008 Taiwan Executive Yuan Supervised Project (May 2009) *TECO Science & Technology Award, TECO Technology Foundation, Taiwan (November 2008) *

TWAS Prize This is a list of recipients of the TWAS Prize, awarded annually by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) since 1985. Summary Agricultural Sciences Biology Chemistry Earth Sciences Engineering Sciences Mathematics ...

in Engineering Sciences for 2007 (November 2007) *Excellence Teaching Award,

(2007) *Distinguished Professor,

(Since August 2007) *Editorial Board, The Open Electrical and Electronic Engineering Journal,

Bentham Science Publishers Bentham Science Publishers is a company that publishes scientific, technical, and medical journals and e-books. It publishes over 120 subscription-based academic journals and around 40 open access journals. As of 2023, 66 Bentham Science journal ...

(Since March 2007) *Fellow, the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing edu ...

(Since November 2006) *Distinguished Teaching Award,

(2002) *Outstanding Alumni Award, Dept. of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering,

(2002). *First Y.Z. Hsu Scientific Chair Professor (Nano Science Category), Far Eastern Y.Z. Hsu Science and Technology Memorial Foundation (2002). *Fellow, Institute of Physics (FInstP) (December 2001) *Editorial Board, Journal of Smart Materials & Structures, Institute of Physics (Since 2001) *1st Prize, Gold Medal Dragon Thesis Award, Acer Foundation (1999 & 2000) *Excellent Photonic Product Award, Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association & Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan (1998 & 2000) *Technology Contribution Award, Optical Engineering Society of the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

(ROCOES) (1997 & 1999) *Outstanding Engineering Professor Award, Chinese Institute of Engineers (1998) *Taiwan Excellent Product Award, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan (1998) *1998 Circle of Excellence Award,

Photonics Spectra Photonics Spectra is a monthly business-to-business (B2B) magazine published for the engineers, scientists, and end users who develop, commercialize and buy photonic products. It provides both technical and applications information for all aspe ...

, USA (award for AVID, an advanced vibrometer/ interferometer device which was technology transferred to AHEAD Optoelectronics, Inc.) *Award for Significant Contribution to Industry, Ministry of Education, Taiwan (1996, 1998) *IBM Invention Achievement Award (1994) *IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (February 1991) *IBM Research Division Annual Accomplishment List (1990) *IBM Almaden Research Center Annual Accomplishment List (1989) *Jefferson Goblet Award, AIAA (

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for the field of aerospace engineering Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecra ...

) (April 1987) *

Taiwan Air Force The Republic of China Air Force ( Chinese, 中華民國空軍), or the ROCAF; known colloquially as the Taiwanese Air Force ( Chinese, 臺灣空軍) by Western or mainland Chinese media, or commonly referred as the National Military Air Force ...

General Command Award (highest honor for reserve officer) (1983)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Chih-Kung Taiwanese mechanical engineers IBM employees 1959 births Living people Former United States citizens Cornell University alumni Academic staff of the National Taiwan University National Taiwan University alumni TWAS laureates