Distinguished Lecture

1. Lecture Biography The Chinese University of Hong Kong Joint Research Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Dept. of Electronic Engineering Jointly Organized By: Joint Universities Consortium on Biomedical Engineering (JUCBE) Distinguished Lecture Speaker: Chung-Kwang Chou, Ph.D. Motorola Chief EME Scientist Director of Corporate EME Research Laboratory Motorola Labs, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A. Time: 11:00am-11:40am, 7 Nov, 2007 (Wed.) Venue: Room 418, Ho Sin Hang Eng. Bldg., CUHK Research and Standards to Regulate RF Exposure RF safety concerns started in the 1950s with exposure to radar, then radio and TV broadcasting in the 1960s, microwave ovens in 1970s, police radar in 1980s and then most recently wireless communications. These devices emit a form of non-ionizing energy called radiofrequency (RF) signals. The electromagnetic spectrum helps to explain a major difference in non-ionizing and ionizing energy. The well known cumulative damaging effects of ionizing radiation, such as X-rays and atomic bombs, do not occur at frequencies below those in the UV spectrum, including sunlight and infrared frequencies that are forms of non-ionizing energy. Over the past more than 50 years, a large data base on the bioeffects of RF exposure has been accumulated to support health risk assessments of RF exposure. Currently there are about 1600 peer-reviewed articles in the WHO database relating to RF bioeffects. For mobile telephony alone, there are about 600 peer-reviewed papers and another 200 to-be-published papers are listed in the database. The research subjects consist of epidemiological, human, animal and in vitro cell studies. WHO has stated that scientific knowledge in this area is now more extensive than for most chemicals, and concluded that current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low level electromagnetic fields, that is, at exposure levels within the limits set by international standards.  International standards for measuring mobile phone emissions are available. With proper regulation, all phones should comply with international exposure limits. RF exposures in residential and office building from base stations are in general lower than 1% of international limits and these levels are similar to levels from radio and TV broadcasts. WHO Fact Sheet #304 (May 2006) states. Considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected to date, there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak RF signals from base stations and wireless networks cause adverse health effects. In conclusion: 1) RF electromagnetic energy does not produce nuclear (ionizing) radiation, 2) the only proven RF interaction mechanism for adverse health effects is thermal, 3) exposure levels near base stations are very low, and 4) RF emissions from mobile phones comply with international safety limits.  Chung-Kwang Chou received his B.S.E.E from National Taiwan University in 1968, his M.S. from Washington University in 1971, and his Ph. D. from University of Washington in 1975. His current position is Motorola Chief EME Scientist, and the Director of Corporate EME Research Laboratory, responsible for RF product safety. Dr. Chou’s research has been on RF biological effects, RF dosimetry and exposure systems, hyperthermia and electrochemical treatment of cancer. Dr. Chou had been Chairman of IEEE/EMBS Committee on Man and Radiation (1996-1997), Co-Chairman of IEEE Scientific Coordinating Committee 28, Subcommittee 4 on RF Safety Standard (1997- 2005), Board of Directors of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (1981-1984), Associate Editor of the Journal of Bioelectromagnetics (1987-2003) responsible for editing papers on high frequency RF fields, Electromagnetics Academy (1990- ), Distinguished Lecturer of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (1991-1992), Vice Chairman of Committee 89-5 on "Biological effects and exposure criteria for radio frequency electromagnetic fields" of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (1996-1999), Council Member of NCRP (1998-2004). He is an Associate Member of the Motorola Science Advisory Board (2005- ) and the Science Adviser of Mobile Manufacturers Forum (2001 - ). Dr. Chou is Chairman of IEEE International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety Technical Committee 95, responsible for safety standards from 0 to 300 GHz. Dr. Chou has published about 190 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, and presented more than 270 conference papers and abstracts. He is a Fellow of IEEE (1989) and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (1996), and Electromagnetics Academy (2007). He received the highest honor d’Arsonval Medal from the Bioelectromagnetics Society in 2006. * * * ALL ARE WELCOME * * * ENQUIRES: Dr. Fei Chen (Tel: 2609-8458, Email: fchen@ee.cuhk.edu.hk)