Dr. Shih-Ping Kao is widely respected in the engineering industry for his expertise in nuclear reactor design and safety analysis. Drawing on more than four decades of professional experience, he lent his knowledge to numerous universities and companies and is now recognized as an advisory and senior principal safety analysis engineer. Dr. Kao’s longstanding tenure and invaluable contributions to scientific literature have made him a highly sought-after expert in the field.
Dr. Kao was born in Taiwan and spent his childhood in Seoul before relocating to the United States, where his older brother attended college. At a formative age, Dr. Kao developed a keen interest in nuclear technology, partly due to his observations of the global energy crisis and his desire to implement meaningful change. He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology and graduated with highest honors with a Bachelor of Science in nuclear engineering in 1979. As time progressed, Dr. Kao also earned a master’s degree and a Doctor of Philosophy in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981 and 1984, respectively, with the support of a Charles Stark Draper fellowship.
Notably, Dr. Kao served as a research a ffiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology until 2007, concurrently maintaining roles as a senior project engineer at Northeast Utilities. He played a key role in developing software and securing the necessary regulations to initiate the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant project. During this time, he was also responsible for developing the very first PC-based pressurized water reactor simulator, which remained active at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for over two decades. Desiring to further his education, Dr. Kao received an Executive Master of Business Administration from Columbia University in 1997.
After earning his business degree, Dr. Kao transitioned to an information technology role, where he served as an international advocate and senior software architect at Computer Associates. However, by 2008, he returned to the field of nuclear engineering, working in consulting positions with DeNuke Services, AREVA, the Nuclear Safety Analysis Corporation and ENERCON.
Dr. Kao is a lifetime member of the American Nuclear Society. Looking toward the future, he intends to continue lending his expertise to organizations worldwide.
