Professor Sir Charles Kao Kuen is internationally renowned as the ‘Father of Fiber Optics' and a Nobel Laureate in Physics.
Sir Charles graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of London in 1957, and then worked as an engineer for Standard Telephones and Cables, and its research centre, Standard Telecommunications Laboratories (STL).
He was conferred a PhD in Electrical Engineering by the University of London in 1965. While working at STL in England, he began his pioneering work in the realisation of fiber optics as a telecommunications medium. Sir Charles has served as Corporate Director of Research at the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, and was its first Executive Scientist.
Sir Charles taught at the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 1970 to 1974, and was its Vice-Chancellor from 1987 to 1996. He has also served as an adjunct professor and Fellow of Trumbull College at Yale University.
Sir Charles was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2009 and a Knighthood and the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2010.
In recognition of his contributions to academia and Hong Kong, the University has resolved to confer upon Professor Sir Charles Kao Kuen the degree of Doctor of Science honoris causa.
