Charles W. Turner

Biography

Charles W. Turner has gone to extraordinary lengths to serve the IEEE and the members of Region 8 (Europe, Africa and the Middle East), where he is secretary. In addition to organizing meetings, writing a guide for volunteers, and strengthening ties between the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and IEEE, he has been particularly effective in bringing the IEEE's services to the former Soviet Union. By obtaining funds and distributing research publications to engineers and libraries, he has made membership more feasible for those in developing economies. Dr. Turner served the IEEE United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland Section as chair, vice chair and secretary. Additionally, he has been director of Region 8 and IEEE secretary, serving on the IEEE Board of Directors from 1993-1995.

Dr. Turner began his career in industry in 1957 with EMI Electronics in West London, before completing his Ph.D. in microwave electronics at Stanford University in 1961. He then taught at Brunel University in London and the University of California at Berkeley. In 1971, he was appointed Siemens Professor of Electrical Engineering at King's College, London, serving in that post until his retirement in 2000. He has published more than 100 technical papers in the fields of microwave electronics and acoustics, and co-authored a textbook, Principles of Superconductive Devices and Circuits, with T. Van Duzer. He was elected to the U.K. Royal Academy of Engineering in 1987, is an IEE Fellow, and a Senior Member of IEEE. His many honors include Leverhulme and Fulbright awards, and a U.K. National Physical Laboratory Metrology Award.

Charles won the IEEE Haraden Pratt Award in 2003 "For his outstanding leadership in extending the transnational activities of the IEEE into Eastern and Central Europe."