Mable P. Fok is a Chinese and American researcher in photonics and soft robotics, including bio-inspired photonics, optical neural networks, fiber-optic sensors for sensing the shapes of soft materials, microwave photonics,[1] and the design of soft robot grippers.[2] She is a professor of engineering, assistant dean for academic and faculty affairs, and director of the Photonics and Soft Robotics Lab at the University of Georgia.[3]

Education and career

Fok was a student of electronic engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where she received a bachelor's degree in 2002, a master's degree in 2004, and a Ph.D. in 2007.[3]

She joined the University of Georgia in 2012,[4] after postdoctoral research at Princeton University. She was promoted to associate professor in 2017, and to full professor in 2023.[3] She was appointed as assistant dean in 2023.[5]

Recognition

Fok was elected as a Fellow of Optica, in the 2026 class of fellows, "for seminal contributions to the adaptive and flexible use of fiber optics for soft material sensing and bioinspired microwave photonic systems".[1]

References

  1. ^ "Meet the 2026 Optica Fellows", Elected Fellows, Optica, retrieved 2026-04-11
  2. ^ Coxworth, Ben (December 16, 2020), "Plant-inspired gripper winds itself around objects", New Atlas, retrieved 2026-04-11
  3. ^ "Mable Fok, Ph.D.", Directory, University of Georgia College of Engineering, retrieved 2026-04-11
  4. ^ "UGA welcomes new faculty", UGa Today, University of Georgia, September 24, 2012, retrieved 2026-04-11
  5. ^ "Mable Fok appointed assistant dean for academic and faculty affairs", News, University of Georgia College of Engineering, November 29, 2023, retrieved 2026-04-11