Prof Chan was born in a Chinese entrepreneur family in Indonesia. He obtained his B. Sc., M. Sc., Ph.D., in Electrical Engineering in 1957, 1959 and 1982 from China University of Mining & Technology, Tsinghua University and University of Hong Kong, respectively. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the Polytechnic University of Odessa in 1992 for his prominent contribution to Modern Electric Drives and Electric Vehicles and was elected as a Fellow of the prestige Royal Academy of Engineering U.K., the first Academician of the prestige Chinese Academy of Engineering in Hong Kong, Fellow of the Ukraine Academy of Engineering Sciences, and Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences. Prof. Chan was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree from the Loughborough University U.K. in 2008.
Professor Chan's career includes industrial and academic experience. He worked for over 10 years in industry engaged mainly in the research and development of electric machines and power systems; and worked for over 30 years in universities devoted to teaching and research in electrical engineering. He joined the University of Hong Kong in 1981 as Lecturer, and then promoted to Senior Lecturer, Reader, Honda Chair Professor of Engineering (1994-2002) and the Head of the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (1994-2000), where he is now an Honorary Professor. He has been a Visiting Professor at several prominent universities around the world including the University of California at Berkeley in 1989, MIT in 1995, By-Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge University in 2001, Guest Professor of the University of California at Davis, in charge of Postgraduate Course on Electric Vehicles in 2002, and Honorary Professor of Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Southeast University etc, Special Advisor to the President of Wuhan University. He served also as a Distinguished Lecturer of the Industrial Electronic Society of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE), U.S.A., awarded Faraday Memorial Lecturer in India in 1997 and awarded the IEE (Institution of Electrical Engineers U.K.) International Lecture Medal in 2000 and delivered his lectures on Electric Vehicles worldwide. He was selected by Asiaweek as the Asia’s Best Technology Pioneer in 2001. He is named as “The Father of Asian Electric Vehicles” by magazine “Global View” in 2003. He is also named as “Pitamaha (grandfather) of Electric Vehicle Technology in India in 2006. He is a Member of the Science and Technology Sector of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) for the term of 2003-2008. He is also appointed by the Ministry of Science and Technology as a Chief Panelist of “863” Key National Project Plan 2001-2005. He also serves as Science and Technology Advisor to Shandong Provincial Government, Wuhan Municipal Government, Harbin Municipal Government, Shenyang Municipal Government and to leading automobile, electrical and electronic industry such as Ford, Honda, Samsung, Siemens, ABB, GE, TNO Netherlands, ZAP, FAW, Chan An, Wan Xiang, etc. He is appointed by Oakland Mayor to serve as a Member of Task Force on Independent to Oil; Oakland would be the first city in the world independent to oil in transportation by 2020.
In 1986, he founded the International Research Centre for Electric Vehicles at the University of Hong Kong with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Hawaii. In 1990, he hosted the 10th International Electric Vehicle Symposium in Hong Kong. He is the co-founder and served as the President of the World Electric Vehicle Association, also known as one of the “Three Wiseman” in international electric vehicles community. He has a close collaboration with industries and governments as an adviser. He has been actively involved with major electric vehicle projects in China, India, Japan, U.S.A., and Europe. He has also served as the President of Electric Vehicle Association of Asia Pacific, President of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) 1999/2000, Vice President of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences and the current President of the Asian Electric Vehicle Society. He founded the International Academy for Advanced Study in China in 2002 to promote the international collaboration for the advancement of science and technology.
Professor Chan is active in professional society activities, holding over 20 posts in local and international professional institutions. He is Fellow of IEEE (U.S.A.), IET (U.K.), and HKIE (Hong Kong). He also serves as Steering Committee Chairman of a number of international conferences. He was invited to deliver keynote speeches and plenary speeches at major international conferences.
He authored and coauthored 11 books, over 300 technical papers and holds 9 patents.
He was awarded the IEEE Best Paper Award and the Alcan Technical Excellence for his contributions. He was awarded ‘Outstanding Award’ from Hungarian Electrotechnical Society, and ‘Distinguished Scientist’ from Japan National Institute for Environmental Studies. His book on 'Modern Electric Vehicle Technology' by Oxford University Press (2001) was commented by Power Engineering Journal as "unabashed enthusiasts for the EV, the backstage work has been assiduous and careful over the last 20 years. It has the ring of authority..". He is appointed by the State as a member of Chief Editorial Board of China Grand Encyclopedia, and invited author of the UNESCO Encyclopedia.
With his multi-national cultural background and international exposure, Professor Chan has a mission to integrate the strength of East and West for the advancement of science and technology for the human welfare. |
