Remembering Yang Enze, Beloved Professor and Dedicated PhD Supervisor

Yang Enze, Professor and PhD Supervisor of the School of Electrical and Information Engineering of Tianjin University, passed away on October 9 at the age of 100.

Professor Yang Enze was born on October 20, 1919. As one of the founders of China's optical communications, this wonderful scholar never left the forefront of scientific research, which was his lifelong career. His enduring desire, was to be able to work one more day, and to do something for the people.

In the 1970s, Professor Yang Enze was the chief engineer of an optical fiber cable communication system built in Wuchang and Hankou in central China's Hubei Province. This was China's first optical communication project for practical use approved by the government.

The venture went into operation at the end of 1982, and was followed by the establishment of optical communication systems in many other cities. China's optical communication industry saw rapid development.

Professor Yang Enze built the first optical communication laboratory in Tianjin when he was invited to teach at Tianjin University in 1985.

Since then, under his supervision, eight high-tech research projects at the national level have been conducted, and more than 10 papers were published in China's top academic journals. Over 70 years of teaching and research, he dedicated most of his life to cultivating students.

Professor Yang Enze led a simple and frugal lifestyle. Over the past years, he donated more than 500,000 yuan to students who could not afford education.

Everyone who knew him grieves with his family, the community of scholars across the world, and his beloved students, past and present. He will be greatly missed, and will be remembered fondly for his values and the impact he made on people’s lives.

By: Sun Xiaofang

Editor: Harlan Haverback