Caro Lucas Ghukasian ( hy, Կարո Լուկաս Ղուկասեան); ( fa, کارو لوکاس قوکاسیان; September 4, 1949 – July 8, 2010) was an
Iranian Armenian
Iranian-Armenians ( hy, իրանահայեր ''iranahayer''), also known as Persian-Armenians ( hy, պարսկահայեր ''parskahayer''), are Iranians of Armenian ethnicity who may speak Armenian as their first language. Estimates of thei ...
scientist. His many areas of contribution to Iranian scientific society include
biological computing
Biological computers use biologically derived molecules — such as DNA and/or proteins — to perform digital or real computations.
The development of biocomputers has been made possible by the expanding new science of nanobiotechnology. The ter ...
,
computational intelligence
The expression computational intelligence (CI) usually refers to the ability of a computer to learn a specific task from data or experimental observation. Even though it is commonly considered a synonym of soft computing, there is still no c ...
,
uncertain systems, intelligent control,
fuzzy systems,
neural networks,
multiagent systems
A multi-agent system (MAS or "self-organized system") is a computerized system composed of multiple interacting intelligent agents.Hu, J.; Bhowmick, P.; Jang, I.; Arvin, F.; Lanzon, A.,A Decentralized Cluster Formation Containment Framework fo ...
,
swarm intelligence,
data mining,
business intelligence
Business intelligence (BI) comprises the strategies and technologies used by enterprises for the data analysis and management of business information. Common functions of business intelligence technologies include reporting, online analytical p ...
,
financial modeling
Financial modeling is the task of building an abstract representation (a model) of a real world financial situation. This is a mathematical model designed to represent (a simplified version of) the performance of a financial asset or portfolio ...
,
knowledge management
Knowledge management (KM) is the collection of methods relating to creating, sharing, using and managing the knowledge and information of an organization. It refers to a multidisciplinary approach to achieve organisational objectives by making ...
,
systems science, and general design theory.
He was honored as an
Eternal Figure (Persian: chehreye mandegar چهره ماندگار) by the
Iranian Science and Culture Hall of Fame
Iranian Science and Culture Hall of Fame or Ever-lasting Names / People ( fa, چهرههای ماندگار; read as "Čehre-hā-ye Māndegār") is a formal ceremony to honor influential contemporary scientific and cultural Eminents. The title ...
, which is a distinguishing honor offered to prominent Iranian chancellor scholars..
Biography
Early life and education
Caro Lucas was born on September 4, 1949, in the historical city of
Isfahan, in an Armenian family. Although he was born in
Isfahan he grew up in
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
as he explained in an interview: "As my family used to go to their hometown,
Isfahan in summers, and as I was born in one of these summers, I was born in
Isfahan. Most of my summers have been spent in
Isfahan, and I have been grown in
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
so I am from both
Isfahan and
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
."
He graduated from
Kooshesh High School (the school of Armenian Minority) in
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
, received his M.Sc. degree in Electrical and Control Engineering from
University of Tehran
The University of Tehran (Tehran University or UT, fa, دانشگاه تهران) is the most prominent university located in Tehran, Iran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as its research and teaching pro ...
, in 1973 and the PhD. degree from
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
, in 1976.
Marriage and children
He married
Emilia Nercissians ( fa, امیلیا نرسیسیانس). Arman is their son. His granddaughter is Sarvaia, who is studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto .
Final years and death
Lucas was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. After a year he had overcome his cancer, but he died on July 8, 2010 from intestinal infection resulting from a medical mistreatment which happened during a colonoscopy.
Academic career
He was a Professor, and founding director of the
Center of Excellence for Control and Intelligent Processing (CIPCE), School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran, as well as a researcher at the
School of Cognitive Sciences (SCS),
Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics
An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations (research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body.
In some countries, institutes can ...
(IPM), Tehran, Iran.
He served as the Director of School of Intelligent Systems, IPM (1993–1997) and Chairman of the ECE Department at the
University of Tehran
The University of Tehran (Tehran University or UT, fa, دانشگاه تهران) is the most prominent university located in Tehran, Iran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as its research and teaching pro ...
(1986–1988). Lucas was also a Visiting Associate Professor at the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 ...
, Toronto, Canada (summer, 1989–1990), University of California, Berkeley (1988–1989), an Assistant Professor at
Garyounis University (1984–1985),
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California S ...
(1975–1976), a Senior Researcher at the
International Center for Theoretical Physics
The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) is an international research institute for physical and mathematical sciences that operates under a tripartite agreement between the Italian Government, United Nations Education ...
, and the
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
The International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) was established as a project of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in 1983. The Organisation has three Component laboratories with over 45 ongo ...
, both in
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into prov ...
, Italy, the Institute of Applied Mathematics,
Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); ), known by Academia Sinica in English until the 1980s, is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for natural sciences. It has historical origins in the Academia Sinica during the Republi ...
,
Harbin Institute of Electrical Technology, a research associate at the Manufacturing Research Corporation of Ontario, and a research assistant at the Electronic Research Laboratory,
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
.
Lucas authored/co-authored about 826 conference papers, 332 journal papers and 39 chapters in books, edited 8 book volumes, served as program committee (PC) member for 96 conferences, and presented invited talks (or keynote speeches) in 190 national and international events.
He had been a pioneer in presenting new multi-disciplinary graduate courses like biologic computing, general systems design, and advanced topics in socio-cognitive systems, where, he has presented courses (and supervised theses) in different disciplines and departments like Electrical and Computer Engineering, Management, Psychology, Fine Arts and Architecture, and Finance and Economics. He was also the founder of the ISRF,
Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics
An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations (research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body.
In some countries, institutes can ...
and has assisted in founding several new research organizations and engineering disciplines in Iran. He is the holder of the patent for Speaker Independent Persian Isolated Word Neurorecognizer.
Lucas served as Managing Editor of the Memories of the Engineering Faculty, University of Tehran (1979–1991), Reviewer of Mathematical Reviewers (since 1987), Associate Editor of the
Journal of Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems (1992–1999), and Chairman of the IEEE, Iran Section (1990–1992). He has served as the Chairman of several international conferences.
Industry career
Lucas served as Senior Advisor in many organizations including:
Bank Mellat
Bank Mellat ( fa, بانک ملت, ''Bank Milât'', lit. ''People's Bank'') is a private Iranian bank. Its name means "Bank of the Nation". Bank Mellat was established in 1980, with a paid capital of Rials 33.5 billion as a merger of ten pre-revol ...
,
Iran Railway Development Consultants,
Manufacturing Research Corporation of Ontario-MRCO,
Ministry of Energy A Ministry of Energy or Department of Energy is a government department in some countries that typically oversees the production of fuel and electricity; in the United States, however, it manages nuclear weapons development and conducts energy-rel ...
,
Iranian Bankers' Investment Company-IBICO and
Megerdumian and Associates Consulting Engineers.
Memorials
In 2009 Seraj Institute of Technology established a graduate research fellowship in computing and information sciences, namely "Prof. Carlo Lucas Fellowship" in honor of Lucas.
See also
*
Adaptive Autonomy
Adaptive autonomy refers to a suggestion for the definition of the notation 'autonomy' in mobile robotics.
Human-automation interaction
The extremist idea of "eliminate the human from the field" rendered the ironies of automation to the extent ...
References
External links
Caro Lucas Homepage*
University of TehranSchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering in University of TehranIPM
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lucas, Caro
20th-century Iranian inventors
Ethnic Armenian academics
Iranian electrical engineers
UC Berkeley College of Engineering alumni
University of Tehran alumni
Academic staff of the University of Tehran
1949 births
2010 deaths
Iranian people of Armenian descent
Scientists from Isfahan
Iranian Science and Culture Hall of Fame recipients in Engineering