Caltech Chinese patent in fuel cell technology licensed

China has issued a patent in the fuel cell area to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and the patent is being licensed by Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation (DMFCC).

Commenting on the new patent, Dr Carl Kukkonen, DMFCC chief executive, said that it was valuable because of its scope.

Of Kukkonen:

In September 1998 Dr. Kukkonen formally left his post as Director of the Center for Space Microelectronics at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to assume chief executive responsibility at ViaSpace. Dr. Kukkonen joined the board in 2002. Dr. Kukkonen continues to be the link between QWIPTECH and Caltech/JPL. Dr. Kukkonen received his PhD in Physics, Solid State Theory, from Cornell University in 1975. After a two-year postdoctoral position at Purdue University, he joined the Ford Motor Company. His last position at Ford was Principal Research Engineer, Diesel Engine Research Department, where he led a team in designing, developing and demonstrating the first direct injection passenger car diesel engine. In 1984, Dr. Kukkonen was recruited by Caltech to create and manage the Center of Excellence in Space Microelectronics Technology. Under the leadership of Dr. Kukkonen, the Center grew from an idea to a world-renowned program with a budget of $70 million annually and a staff of 250. The Center conducts research and development in advanced detectors, micro-sensors, micro-instruments and high performance computing and networking.