Honorable Advisors

Prof Chan, SBS, 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 elected to Fellow of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the Polytechnic University of Odessa in 1992 and 1993 respectively for his prominent contribution to Modern Electric Drives and Electric Vehicles. Subsequently he was elected as Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences in 1996, Fellow of the prestige Royal Academy of Engineering U.K., the first Academician of the prestige Chinese Academy of Engineering in Hong Kong, and Fellow of the Ukraine Academy of Engineering Sciences in 1997. Prof. Chan was further awarded the Honorary Doctor of Technology Degree from the Loughborough University U.K. in 2008 and Honorary Member of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering in 2013. His major honours include the awards of the Hong Kong Institution Gold Medal in 2010, World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) Medal of Engineering Excellence in 2013, and the Royal Academy of Engineering Prince Philip Medal in 2014. He received the Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) in 2019 from the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Prof. 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 40 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, Dean of School of Information and Electrical Engineering, China  University of Mining and Technology. He served as a Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE, also awarded the Faraday Memorial Lecturer in India in 1997, the IEE (Institution of Electrical Engineers U.K.) International Lecture Medal in 2000 by which he delivered his International Lecture 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 was a Member of the Science and Technology Sector of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). He was also appointed by the Ministry of Science and Technology as a Chief Panelist of “863” Key National Project Plan 2001-2005. He served 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, ZTE, Shenhua Group, etc. He was appointed by Oakland Mayor to serve as a Member of Task Force on Independent to Oil, where Oakland would be the first city in the world to be independent to oil in transportation by 2020. He actively serves as Senior Advisor or Consultant to government agencies, academic institutions and industries worldwide.

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 been actively involved with major electric vehicle projects in China, India, Japan, U.S.A., and Europe. He 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 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.

Prof. Chan is active in professional society activities, holding over 20 posts in local and international professional institutions. He is a 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 and delivered keynote speeches and plenary speeches at major international conferences.

He authored and coauthored 11 books, over 300 technical papers and holds 10 patents. He was awarded the IEEE Best Paper Award and the Alcan Technical Excellence for his contribution to innovative electric motor drives for electric vehicles. He was also awarded the ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ by the Hungarian Electrotechnical Society, the ‘Distinguished Scientist’ by the 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 “the ring of authority…”. He was appointed by the State as a member of Chief Editorial Board of China Grand Encyclopedia and invited author/editor of the UNESCO Encyclopedia, Wiley Automotive Encyclopedia, etc.

Prof. Chan has divided his time almost equally among university, industry/business and society, but these aspects have always been linked by a strong symbiotic relationship. Thus he has significantly contributed to the theory, practice and public awareness of engineering. 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.