Chih-Kung Lee

In 1994, he joined the faculty of National Taiwan University’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 and actuators. He has directed many research projects in the areas of ultra-high performance laser Doppler interferometers, laser encoders, sphere ellipsometry analyzers, curved distributed piezoelectric sensors/actuators, dot matrix writers, diffractive optical elements/systems, and laser writers. His specialty lies in systems integration which combines mechanics, optics, electronics, semiconductors, mechanisms, metrology, 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 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/vibrometer, an ellipsometer, an ultrasonic sensor with anisotropic beam pattern, SARS No. 1 antivirus compound, a flexible electret speaker, etc., all of which have been technology transferred to industry. The AVID interferometer/vibrometer won Photonic 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.

In 1987, Lee joined IBM's Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California, 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 drives, optoelectronic systems, metrology 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 MByte, 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.

Lee received his B.S. degree in civil engineering from National Taiwan University in 1981. After serving his two years mandatory military service in Taiwan's Air Force, he continued his graduate studies with a fellowship at Cornell University in New York, 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 modal sensors and actuators. This innovation was important in the control of flexible structures as it resolved modal spillover.