Prof. Chih-Kung Lee of NTU’s Institute of Applied Mechanics elected NAI Fellow

Prof. Chih-Kung Lee of National Taiwan University’s (NTU) Institute of Applied Mechanics has recently been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI)—the highest honor for academic inventors—marking a significant milestone in his distinguished career in innovation. The 2024 NAI Fellows cohort includes 170 scholars from 12 countries, representing 135 research universities, government agencies, and nonprofit research institutions across multiple academic fields.

Professor Li demonstrated remarkable achievements in academic innovation early in his studies. His doctoral dissertation introduced the modal sensor/actuator, a breakthrough that enabled control over modal spillover in spaceborne flexible structures. This advancement, recognized as a major milestone in flexible structure control since the 1980s, laid the foundation for his prolific research and numerous future innovations.

In 1987, Professor Li joined IBM Almaden Research Center in the United States, conducting research related to hard disk drives. He pioneered the integration of modal sensors into the hard disk manufacturing process, effectively solving the issue of non-monotonic interactions between sensor signal strength and the disk-head interface.

Since returning to Taiwan and joining NTU in 1994, Professor Lee has been dedicated to interdisciplinary research and system integration. He co-founded the NTU Nano-BioMEMS Group, bringing together faculty and researchers from NTU, Tamkang University, and National Taiwan Ocean University. This collaboration spans medicine, chemistry, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and applied mechanics, leading to numerous innovations, including: SparkleTM (a laser holography system), AVIDTM (a laser Doppler interferometer), anisotropic ultrasonic sensors, and electret materials for paper speakers. Many of these technologies have successfully been transferred to industry, reinforcing the importance of academia-industry collaboration and societal impact.

Notably, AVIDTM was recognized in 1998 with the prestigious Circle of Excellence Award from Photonics Spectra, ranking among the world's top 25 photonic systems of the year. SparkleTM was commercialized by Ahead Optoelectronics, which subsequently joined the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) board as the sole representative from Asia and Africa, helping to amplify Taiwan’s voice in the global holography industry. Additionally, the electret paper speaker, developed in collaboration with ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute), was prominently featured in the Dream Pavilion at the 2010 Taipei International Flora Expo.

Prof. Lee holds over 100 patents worldwide and has published more than 480 academic papers. His numerous accolades include: Gold Medal, 2013 National Invention and Creation Award (Taiwan), Gold Prize, 26th World Genius Convention & Invention Expo (Tokyo, Japan), and International Hall of Fame of Distinguished Inventors & Lifetime Achievement Award (2011). He is also a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (FInstP, UK).