Ho-Kwang Mao
Encyclopedia
Ho-Kwang Mao (born June 18, 1941) is an eminent American
geologist
and Staff Scientist at the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution for Science
.
of Zhejiang Province, China. Mao's father the Lieutenant General
Mao Sen (毛森), was a high-ranked official of the intelligence department of the Republic of China
. Mao Sen is among the so-called "Three Maos" or "One Dai Three Maos" (the other two Maos are Mao Wanli (毛万里) and Mao Renfeng (毛人凤); the Dai is Dai Li
(戴笠), all the four came from Jiangshan), which were the core intelligence crew of Chiang Kai-shek
.
in 1941. When Mao was seven-year old, Mao moved to Taiwan
with his family. Mao received BS from the National Taiwan University
in 1963. Mao further pursued his studies in the United States
, and obtained MS in 1966 and PhD in 1968 from the University of Rochester
, Rochester NY.
During 1968-1972, Mao did his postdoctoral research at the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington (CIW). From then on Mao has spent most of his career at this institute.
for research at high pressures. Although at the time the claim was controversial, his work with Peter M. Bell is now generally accepted as being the first verified static pressure in excess of 1 Megabar.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and Staff Scientist at the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution for Science
Carnegie Institution for Science
The Carnegie Institution for Science is an organization in the United States established to support scientific research....
.
Family
Mao's hometown is JiangshanJiangshan
Jiangshan is a county-level city located in Quzhou prefecture, Zhejiang Province, China. Located about 250 kilometers southwest of Hangzhou, the provincial capital, it is the only county-level city in the prefecture. As of 1999, Jiangshan's population stood at 563,196. The city is named aptly:...
of Zhejiang Province, China. Mao's father the Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Mao Sen (毛森), was a high-ranked official of the intelligence department of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
. Mao Sen is among the so-called "Three Maos" or "One Dai Three Maos" (the other two Maos are Mao Wanli (毛万里) and Mao Renfeng (毛人凤); the Dai is Dai Li
Dai Li
Major General Dai Li was born Dai Chunfeng with the courtesy name of Yunong in Baoan, Jiangshan, Zhejiang, China. He studied at the Whampoa Military Academy, where Chiang served as Chief Commandant, and later became head of Chiang's Military Intelligence Service.-Early life:At age four, his...
(戴笠), all the four came from Jiangshan), which were the core intelligence crew of Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
.
Biography
Mao was born in ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in 1941. When Mao was seven-year old, Mao moved to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
with his family. Mao received BS from the National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
in 1963. Mao further pursued his studies in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and obtained MS in 1966 and PhD in 1968 from the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
, Rochester NY.
During 1968-1972, Mao did his postdoctoral research at the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington (CIW). From then on Mao has spent most of his career at this institute.
Research
Mao is one of the most prolific users of the diamond anvil cellDiamond anvil cell
A diamond anvil cell is a device used in scientific experiments. It allows compressing a small piece of material to extreme pressures, which can exceed 3,000,000 atmospheres ....
for research at high pressures. Although at the time the claim was controversial, his work with Peter M. Bell is now generally accepted as being the first verified static pressure in excess of 1 Megabar.
Honors & awards
- 2008, Foreign Fellow of the Royal Society of London
- 1996, Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesThe Chinese Academy of Sciences , formerly known as Academia Sinica, is the national academy for the natural sciences of the People's Republic of China. It is an institution of the State Council of China. It is headquartered in Beijing, with institutes all over the People's Republic of China...
- 1994, Academician of the Academia SinicaAcademia SinicaThe Academia Sinica , headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. It supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from mathematical and physical sciences, to life sciences, and to humanities and social sciences.Academia Sinica has...
, Taiwan - 1993, Member of the United States National Academy of Science
- 1996, Fellow of the Geochemical SocietyGeochemical SocietyThe Geochemical Society is a nonprofit and international scientific society for the purpose of encouraging the application of chemistry to solve problems involving geology and cosmology...
- 1994, Fellow of the American Physical SocietyAmerican Physical SocietyThe American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
- 1987, Fellow of the American Geophysical UnionAmerican Geophysical UnionThe American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
- 1979, Fellow of the Mineralogical Society of AmericaMineralogical Society of AmericaThe Mineralogical Society of America is a scientific membership organization. MSA was founded in 1919 for the advancement of mineralogy, crystallography, geochemistry, and petrology, and promotion of their uses in other sciences, industry, and the arts...
- 2007, the Inge Lehmann MedalInge LehmannInge Lehmann FRS , was a Danish seismologist who, in 1936, argued that the Earth's core is not one single molten sphere, but that an inner core exists which has physical properties that are different from those of the outer core.-Life:Inge Lehmann was born and grew up in Østerbro, a part of...
, from the American Geophysical UnionAmerican Geophysical UnionThe American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics... - 2005, the Balzan PrizeBalzan PrizeThe International Balzan Prize Foundation awards four annual monetary prizes to people or organisations who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, culture, as well as for endeavours for peace and the brotherhood of man.-Rewards and assets:Each year the...
for Mineral Physics (with Russell J. Hemley) - 2005, the Gregori Aminoff PrizeGregori Aminoff PrizeThe Gregori Aminoff Prize is an international prize awarded since 1979 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in the field of crystallography, rewarding "a documented, individual contribution in the field of crystallography, including areas concerned with the dynamics of the formation and...
, from the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesRoyal Swedish Academy of SciencesThe Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2... - 2005, the Roebling MedalRoebling MedalThe Roebling Medal is the highest award of the Mineralogical Society of America for scientific eminence as represented primarily by scientific publication of outstanding original research in mineralogy. The award is named for Colonel Washington A. Roebling who was an engineer, bridge builder,...
, from the Mineralogical Society of AmericaMineralogical Society of AmericaThe Mineralogical Society of America is a scientific membership organization. MSA was founded in 1919 for the advancement of mineralogy, crystallography, geochemistry, and petrology, and promotion of their uses in other sciences, industry, and the arts... - 1990, the Arthur L. Day PrizeArthur L. Day Prize and LectureshipThe Arthur L. Day Prize and Lectureship is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "to a scientist making new contributions to the physics of the Earth whose four to six lectures would prove a solid, timely, and useful addition to the knowledge and literature in the field." The prize was...
, from the United States National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and... - 1989, the P. W. Bridgman Award, from the AIRAPT International
- 1979, the Mineralogical Society of America Award