Preface I
Contents V

Chapter 1. My Early Years 1
Born into a Poor Family and Raised in Pohang 3
Unassuming Middle School Years 6

Chapter 2. My High School and University Years 9
Failing the High School Entrance Exam: My First Setback 11
Nurturing Dreams at Kyunggi High School 13
Why I Chose the Department of Electrical Engineering at SNU 17
Experiencing a Revolutionary University Entrance System 20
A Heavy College Life — Awarded at Graduation 22
ROTC and My College Life 25
Shaking Hands with President Park Chung-hee 28
Memorable Encounters with Zeungnam Bien 31
Memorable Encounters with Jong-yong Yun 34


Chapter 3. Military Service and Graduate Studies 37
Discovering Technology at the Army Signal School 39
Graduate Study at SNU and a Paid Education Official 42
Repairing the IBM 1620 during My Master’s Studies 44
Illness and Preparation for Overseas Study: My Second Setback 48
Choosing between MIT and Brown University 52
Earning a Ph.D. from Brown in Three Years 55
Life and Family at the University of Iowa 61
Returning to SNU and Facing Early Challenges 63


Chapter 4. Research with Talented Students at the University 65
A Sabbatical of Learning and Teaching at Stanford 67
Pursuing Both Basic and Applied Research 72
Preparing an Academic Writing Guide and Supervising Theses 76
A 20-Year Tradition of the CISL Winter Workshop 80
Widely Cited Representative Papers from Our Laboratory 83
English Textbooks and Scholar Recognition 91
Publishing 21 Korean Books with Passion 98
Supervising 130 Graduate Students, 31 Becoming Professors 103
Meeting Brilliant Students in Control Theory 108
Founding the ERC-ACI, rated Top by the KOSEF 112


Chapter 5. Fostering Practical Research and Encouraging Student Startups 119
Early Experiences That Led to Applied Research 121
Collaboration with Industry and the Start of Practical Research 124
Building Computer Systems Using Microprocessors 127
Developing Digital Controllers 131
Developing Industrial Communication Networks 137
Can We Leave Universal Software to Society? 144
Why Did Many of My Students Become Entrepreneurs? 152
Humax: Dae-Gyu Byun and Jong Il Kim 158
Woori Technology: Deokwoo Kim and Gab Seon Roh 163
FineDigital: Yong Hoon Kim 167
Piolink: Hong-Ju Moon and Young-cheol Cho 171
Suprema: Jae-Won Lee and Young Soo Moon 175
Vatech, Topfield, ZelPower, Sanion, RealGain, and Cemware 178


Chapter 6. Contributing to University Development and Reform
193
Building a World-Class Department of Control & Instr. Engineering 195

Integrating Electrical, Electronic, and Control & Instr. Engineering Departments 199
Building a World-Class School of Electrical Engineering 206
Constructing the ASRI Building with Woon-Seo Park 213
Transforming the College of Engineering at SNU. 217
Establishing the KOSEF-supported Research Information Center 222
Serving as Chair of the SNU Senate 226
Leading National Research Policy Reports and Contributing to the BK21 232
Founding the Department of IT Convergence at DGIST. 237
Establishing the Wook Hyun Kwon Lecture Series at SNU 242
Serving as Board Member at POSTECH and DGIST 247

Chapter 7. Serving the Advancement of Science and Technology in Society 253
Participation in Korea’s Democratization Movement 255
Founding the Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems 260
Reforming the KIEE as its President 266
Efforts toward unifying KIEE and IEEK 270
How I Became President of IFAC 277
Striving for Excellence as IFAC President 284
A Decade of Service at NAEK and Another Decade at KAST 292
Chairing the Government Electric Power Policy Committee for Nine Years 299
Serving Twelve Years as Outside Board Director of LS Group 303
Five Awards Established in My Name: International and Domestic 307


Chapter 8. Honors and Recognitions Beyond Expectation
315
The National Academy of Sciences Award of Korea 317

Elected an IEEE Fellow 321
Maeil Business New Knowledge Professional Award 324
Elected a Member of The World Academy of Sciences 327
Brown Engineering Alumni Medal 332
Korea’s Top Scientist and Engineer Award 336
Elected an IFAC Fellow 341
Designated a National Science and Technology Laureate of Korea 344
Elected an International Member of the U.S. NAE 347

Chapter 9. Reflections on Life and Lessons Learned 353
I May Not Have Been Particularly Gifted 355
Is Our Life in the Hands of Heaven? 358
Encounters with Eminent Foreign Scholars 362
Following a Role Model: Professor Thomas Kailath at Stanford 367
I Never Knew English Would Matter So Much 371
Should I Take Up Golf? 374
Could I Make a Donation Too? 377
Becoming President of 1962 SNU Engineering Alumni Association 381
Ten Years to Achieve a Single Goal 385
Planning Life After Retirement 389