Prof. Sodini and President of HKUST. Photographer: Not Known.
Charles G. Sodini, the Clarence J. Label Professor of Electrical Engineering, recently received the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Honorary Fellowship award. The award was presented in June by Prof. Tony Chan, President of HKUST.
Prof. Khaled Ben Letaief, Chair Professor and Dean of HKUST School of Engineering introduced Prof. Sodini for the award, characterizing him as "one of the still rare academic-technologists equally at home in the classroom, lab, boardroom, and government briefing room."
Since the 1990s, Prof. Sodini has taken a keen interest in Hong Kong as a center for global manufacturing and emerging technologies. After a year-long study on behalf of the Hong Kong government, Prof. Sodini contributed to the book Made By Hong Kong, published in 1997, which "examine[s] the role of biotechnology and information technology by bringing in international experts in these fields from the MIT research community and provide recommendations for government, industry, and academia." Prof. Sodini has continued to partner with Hong Kong and HKUST to advance the city as an innovation hub for the world; his most recent contribution has come via the 2014 launch of the HKUST-MIT Research Alliance Consortium. This ambitious venture is comprised of government, local and international higher education, and multinational companies. The aim is to leverage an interdisciplinary approach that advances industry-relevant, high-tech research with local, regional and global impact with an immediate emphasis on enhancing healthy urban living, green buildings, and information/communication technologies .
"HKUST and Hong Kong have been fortunate to have a colleague and friend such as Prof. Sodini," said Prof. Letaief. "He has shared his expertise, energy, and understanding of the crucial social role of innovation with us all. He has elevated the possibilities that we can all now aspire to achieve."
MTL joins Profs. Chan and Lataief and the HKUST in congratulating Charlie for this award, and we wish him great success for the future with the HKUST-MIT Research Alliance Consortium.
--Ben Snedeker, Microsystems Technology Laboratories