Ping King Tien
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ping King Tien (born August 2, 1919), is an electrical engineer and scientist, noted for his contributions to microwave
amplifiers and integrated optical circuits.
of Shaoxing
, Chekiang (Zhejiang
) province, China
. He received his B.S. degree in electrical engineering
from the National Central University
(National Central university was renamed to Nanjing University
in Mainland China
in 1952, and its engineering faculty was split-off and became today's Southeast University
. However, its offspring in Taiwan
continues this name) in 1942. Tien continued his study in the United States
, and received his master's degree in 1948 and PhD in 1951 both from the Stanford University
.
Tien then joined Bell Labs
to work with John Robinson Pierce
, eventually becoming head of Electronics Research (1959), Electron-Physics Research (1966), Micro-Electronics Research (1980), High Speed Electronics Research (1984), and fellow in the Photonics Research Laboratory (1989).
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
amplifiers and integrated optical circuits.
Biography
Tien was born in ShangyuShangyu
Shangyu is a county-level city which is part of the prefecture-level city of Shaoxing in the Northeast of Zhejiang province of the People's Republic of China. Its 2004 population was over 770,000, up from 722,523 in the 2000 census. Shangyu is roughly fifty kilometers from north to south and about...
of Shaoxing
Shaoxing
Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to the southwest, and Hangzhou to the west. It was once known as "越"...
, Chekiang (Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
) province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He received his B.S. degree in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from the National Central University
National Central University
National Central University is a national comprehensive university in Taiwan .National Central University was founded in 1915 and originated in 258 CE at Nanjing, China. After NCU in Nanjing was renamed Nanjing University in 1949, NCU was re-established in Taiwan in 1962...
(National Central university was renamed to Nanjing University
Nanjing University
Nanjing University , or Nanking University, is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher learning in China...
in Mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
in 1952, and its engineering faculty was split-off and became today's Southeast University
Southeast University
Southeast University , colloquially Dongda is a public, coeducational research university located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China....
. However, its offspring in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
continues this name) in 1942. Tien continued his study in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and received his master's degree in 1948 and PhD in 1951 both from the Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
Tien then joined Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
to work with John Robinson Pierce
John Robinson Pierce
John Robinson Pierce , was an American engineer and author. He worked extensively in the fields of radio communication, microwave technology, computer music, psychoacoustics, and science fiction. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, he earned his Ph.D...
, eventually becoming head of Electronics Research (1959), Electron-Physics Research (1966), Micro-Electronics Research (1980), High Speed Electronics Research (1984), and fellow in the Photonics Research Laboratory (1989).
Honors and awards
Tien has received several honors and awards, including:- Elected Member of the United States National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
(in 1978) - Elected Member of the United States National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of EngineeringThe National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
(in 1975) - Elected Academician of the Academia SinicaAcademia SinicaThe Academia Sinica , headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. It supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from mathematical and physical sciences, to life sciences, and to humanities and social sciences.Academia Sinica has...
(in 1988) - Elected Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersInstitute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersThe Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is a non-profit professional association headquartered in New York City that is dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence...
- Elected Fellow of the Optical Society of AmericaOptical Society of AmericaThe Optical Society is a scientific society dedicated to advancing the study of light—optics and photonics—in theory and application, by means of publishing, organizing conferences and exhibitions, partnership with industry, and education. The organization has members in more than 100 countries...
- Elected Member of the Third World Academy of SciencesThird World Academy of SciencesTWAS, until 2004 named Third World Academy of Sciences and now TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world, is a merit-based science academy uniting 1,000 scientists in some 70 countries. Its principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in...
- Elected Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of EngineeringChinese Academy of EngineeringThe Chinese Academy of Engineering is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for engineering. It was established in 1994 and is an institution of the State Council of China...
- 1979, IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial AwardIEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial AwardThe initially called Morris Liebmann Memorial Prize provided by the Institute of Radio Engineers , the IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award was created in 1919 in honor of Colonel Morris N. Liebmann. It was initially given to awardees who had "made public during the recent past an important...
"for contributions to integrated optics technology"