Charles Kuen Kao

Menyuk presents an obituary for scientist and engineer Charles Kuen "Charlie" Kao. Charlie became a charismatic scientific leader who repeatedly assembled teams of scientists and engineers to tackle problems of importance to society. He thought of himself as an engineer and focused on problems whose solutions would better the human condition, but in the process he made important contributions to fundamental science. He worked in academia, in industry, and with government. While working at Standard Telecommunication Laboratories (STL), he became interested in optical waveguides. Later in his career, Charlie became an advocate for engineering research and education. Good engineering requires a profound understanding of basic physical science combined with an ability to assess the effects of the engineering outcomes on society.