Ya-Qin Zhang

Ya-Qin Zhang (simplified Chinese: 张亚勤; traditional Chinese: 張亞勤; pinyin: Zhāng Yàqín; born in 1966) is a Chinese-American scientist, technologist and business executive. He is currently a Chair Professor at Tsinghua University and the founding Dean of the Tsinghua institute for AI Industry Research (AIR).[1]

Ya-Qin Zhang 张亚勤
Born1966
Alma materUniversity of Science and Technology of China (B.S.&M.S.), George Washington University (D.Sc.);
Known forDigital Video, AI/Machine learning, Autonomous Driving, Cloud computing
ChildrenJenny Wang (Wife) and Sophie Zhang(Daughter) and Brandon Zhang(Son)
AwardsChinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) 中国工程院 院士

American Academy of Arts and Science (AAA&S) 美国艺术与科学院 院士

National Academy of Inventors (NAI) 国家发明院 院士

Australia Academy of Engineering (ATSE) 澳洲工程院 院士

Fellow of IEEE/AAA&S/CAAI/APAI/FTSE
Scientific career
InstitutionsFormer Corp Vice President of Microsoft, and Managing Director of MSRA

Former President, Baidu Inc. Chair Professor and Dean of AIR, Tsinghua University

清华大学 讲席教授， 智能产业研究院（AIR） 院长

前 百度公司 总裁

前 微软公司 全球资深副总裁 亚洲研究院院长/亚太研发集团主席

Zhang was President of Baidu Inc.(NASDAQ:BIDU) from September 2014 to October 2019.[2][3] He was previously a key executive of Microsoft for 16 years, including Corporate Vice President for mobile and embedded Products in Redmond, Washington, managing director of Microsoft Research Asia, and Chairman of Microsoft China.[4]

Zhang is a world-renowned scientist with his 500+ publications, 60 US patents.[5] and numerous contributions to global standards and products in digital video, AI/machine learning, cloud computing, and autonomous driving. [6] He is elected to Chinese Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Arts and Sciences,[7][8] National Academy of Inventors, and Australia National Academy of Engineering (ATSE) . He became an IEEE Fellow in 1997 for contribution to and leadership in the development of digital video compression and communications technology, standards, and products,[9] at the age of 31, making him the youngest scientist winning this honor in the 100+ year history of the organization.[10] He received the industry pioneer award from IEEE for his seminal contributions and technical leadership in digital video and communications in 2004. Upon his winning of "Outstanding Young Electrical Engineer Award" in 1998, Zhang received a congratulation letter from then US president Bill Clinton, praising him as "an inspiration for others".[11][12]

Zhang currently serves on the Board of Directors of three public companies, and holds board membership and adjunct professorship in five prestigious universities. He was named one of the top 10 CEOs in Asia, 50 global shapers, Executive of the year, IT innovator leader award by IT Times, Business Week, CNBC, Global business and Vision magazine. One of the prominent figures in artificial intelligence and autonoumous driving,[13][14] Zhang serves on the board of stewardship for the future of mobility of the Davos World Economic Forum,[15] and is the Chairman of the Apollo Alliance, the largest open platform for autonomous driving in the world. Zhang is a founding member of UNDP (United Nations Development Program) Private Sector.[16]

Zhang was born in Taiyuan, Shanxi, in January 1966,[17][18] and is married with two children.

Education

At age 12, Zhang was admitted to the University of Science and Technology of China, then the youngest college student in the country.[19][20] He earned a PhD in Electrical Engineering from George Washington University, had executive trainings at Harvard University, and was awarded a honorary Doctorate from Univ. of Surrey.

Career

Microsoft Corporation

Over his 16-year tenure at Microsoft, Ya-Qin Zhang has taken various key positions, including the managing director of Microsoft Research Asia (1999-2004), Chairman of Microsoft China Limited (2007-2013), Corporate Vice President of Mobile and Embedded Products (2004-2006), Asia-Pacific R&D Chairman and Corporate Vice President until September 2014.

He was a co-founder of Microsoft Research China in 1999 as the inaugural Chief Scientist, and then became the managing director in 2000 after its founding director Kai-Fu Lee's promotion and relocation to Microsoft HQ. It was under Zhang's leadership that Microsoft Research China was elevated to Microsoft Research Asia in 2002, which has become a premier computer science research center in the world. He was the founding Chairman of Microsoft Asia R&D Group (ARD), the largest R&D center for Microsoft outside of US, with over 5000 scientists and engineers.[21]

In 2011, Zhang founded the Microsoft venture Accelerator in Beijing, and has become one of the most vibrant start-up engines in China with over 200 companies incubated over the years.

Baidu Inc

Zhang joined Baidu Inc. as president of the company in 2014 and retired in October 2019.[22] Baidu is a leading Internet company in search, mobility, AI and cloud computing.[23][24] As President, Zhang worked closely with founder Robin Li in pivoting the company to new technology and business arena, including intelligent cloud, autonomous driving, silicon technology, industrial AI, and new emerging business.[25][26][13][27]

Tsinghua University

Zhang joined Tsinghua University as the Chair Professor of AI Science, with a joint appointment from the School of Computer Science and School of Vehicle and Mobility. He is the founding Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR), focusing on scientific research and technological innovation for the fourth industry revolution, such as autonomous driving, AI+green computing, and AI+life science.[1]

Awards, appointments and fellowships

Others

Zhang is a member of the Committee of 100, a group of leading Chinese-Americans to promote the cultural, scientific, social, and economic exchanges between the US and China.[35]

Zhang serves on the Strategic Committee of the France China Foundation. The France China Foundation encourages the development of relationship between French and Chinese leaders, to stimulate their interest in the other country and to inspire them to set up joint projects.[36]

References
  1. "张亚勤博士正式加盟清华大学". news.tsinghua.edu.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  2. 于小明. "Baidu president to retire in October - Chinadaily.com.cn". www.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  3. "张亚勤功成身退，人生继续硬核 - 专栏 - 创业邦". www.cyzone.cn. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  4. "How Microsoft Contributed to the Rapid Growth of China's Silicon Valley in High Tech Clusters". Tiensoon's Binaries. 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  5. "Ya-Qin Zhang". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  6. Entrepreneurial and business elites of China : the Chinese returnees who have shaped modern China = Hai gui tui dong Zhongguo : Zhongguo dang dai hai gui chuang ye ji shang jie jing ying. Zhang, Wenxian, 1963-, Wang, Huiyao., Alon, Ilan. United Kingdom: Emerald. 2011. ISBN 9780857240897. OCLC 732968868.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. "Baidu's president elected as academician of American Academy of Arts and Sciences". People's Daily.
  8. "Newly Elected Members". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  9. "IEEE Fellows 1998 | IEEE Communications Society".
  10. "Bill Gates appointed Zhang Yaqin as Microsoft's global vice president". en.people.cn. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  11. Ling, Zhijun.; 凌志军. (2003). Growing up 成长 (Di 1 ban ed.). Haikou Shi: Hainan chu ban she. ISBN 7544311457. OCLC 55048951.
  12. Zhang, Yaqin.; 张亚勤. (2009). Bian ge zhong de si suo = Reflections in the time of transformation (Di 1 ban ed.). Beijing Shi: Dian zi gong ye chu ban she. ISBN 9787121097416. OCLC 502975037.
  13. "百度总裁张亚勤："下一项"技术是人工智能-新华网". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  14. "百度总裁张亚勤：互联网未来发展的三个维度_科技_腾讯网". tech.qq.com. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  15. "Ya-Qin Zhang". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  16. "UNDP China Private Sector Advisory Board & Young Professionals Leadership Programme | UNDP in China". UNDP. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  17. "Microsoft's man in China defects to search powerhouse Baidu". South China Morning Post. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  18. Dai, Sarah (19 March 2019). "Baidu to speed up promotion of younger talent as 53-year-old president Zhang Yaqin opts for retirement". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  19. "中国故事 张亚勤". tv.cntv.cn. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  20. Heim, Kristi (2008-08-08). "Ya-Qin Zhang, Microsoft's leader in China, prospers in changed nation". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  21. "Microsoft Research Asia 20th Anniversary" (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  22. "张亚勤职场3.0羡煞旁人，但背后每一步都是成就_中华网". tech.china.com. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  23. Simonite, Tom. "Search giant Baidu is eyeing markets outside China, says President Ya-Qin Zhang". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  24. Synced (2018-09-13). "Baidu President Ya-Qin Zhang Talks AI Security". Medium. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  25. "Baidu ready to deploy self-driving vehicles on the road next year:pres - Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea". pulsenews.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  26. "CNBC Interview with Ya-Qin Zhang, President of Baidu from the World Economic Forum 2018". CNBC. 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  27. "百度总裁张亚勤:智能+是互联网+的发展延伸--《金卡工程》2016年03期". www.cnki.com.cn. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  28. "Session #2 of the Monaco Digital Advisory Council". Extended Monaco. 2019-11-16. Retrieved 2019-12-27.
  29. "Ya-Qin Zhang". Columbia Engineering. 2019-02-01. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
  30. "Cornell inducts first China Advisory Board". Cornell Chronicle. April 20, 2016. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
  31. "CSVT Transactions – Best Paper Award Recipients | IEEE CAS". ieee-cas.org. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
  32. "Industrial Pioneer Award Recipients | IEEE CAS". www.ieee-cas.org. Retrieved 2019-12-27.
  33. "Y. -Q. Zhang". ieeexplore. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  34. "Outstanding Young Professional Award". IEEE Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN). Retrieved 2019-12-28.
  35. "MEMBERS | Committee 100". www.committee100.org. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  36. "STRATEGIC COMMITTEE | France China Foundation". francechinafoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
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