A distinguished Washington State University professor has been elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering as a foreign member in recognition of his contributions to the field and promotion of Chinese-American cooperation.
Anjan Bose, a Regents professor and distinguished professor in power in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, was selected in November as one of 29 foreign academics. He awoke last week to numerous emails and WeChat messages from Chinese colleagues congratulating him on the appointment.
Lacking any official correspondence, Bose reached out to a Chinese PhD to ask if they could send him the official announcement. After receiving the notice in Chinese, Bose used Google Translate to confirm his election, and has since received an official letter in English confirming the appointment.
“Being elected to a foreign country’s Academy has a little more of a meaning because they are recognizing not only the work you have done in your native country, but also they are recognizing your contributions and collaborations with a nation’s researchers and institutions,” Bose said.
His expertise lies in the operation and control of electrical power grids. Although China has the largest electric power infrastructure in the world, Bose is the first non-Chinese electrical power engineer elected to their academy.
Bose has more than 40 years of industry and academic experience as an engineer, educator and administrator. From 1998 to 2005, Boss served as dean of the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture. He also served as a senior advisor to the U.S. Department of Energy during President Barack Obama’s second term.
Bose is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering and founding member and past president of the Washington State Academy of Sciences. He is also a foreign fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering and is active in several international professional societies.
