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In 1976, ] died and the Cultural Revolution came to an abrupt end. Universities in China soon re-opened, and Ping was admitted to Suzhou Teacher's College to study Chinese language and literature. For her thesis, she travelled to the countryside to research the effects of China's newly implemented ]. As an undergraduate of Chinese Language, she spent two years interviewing hundreds of villagers, ]s, and medical staff, and found that the practice of female ] was widespread. Her thesis came to the attention of the authorities, who briefly imprisoned her. She was later told to leave the country, never return, and never embarrass the Chinese government again. Her family then, through their contacts, arranged for her to leave China and study in the United States. <ref name="BendNot" /> In 1976, ] died and the Cultural Revolution came to an abrupt end. Universities in China soon re-opened, and Ping was admitted to Suzhou Teacher's College to study Chinese language and literature. For her thesis, she travelled to the countryside to research the effects of China's newly implemented ]. As an undergraduate of Chinese Language, she spent two years interviewing hundreds of villagers, ]s, and medical staff, and found that the practice of female ] was widespread. Her thesis came to the attention of the authorities, who briefly imprisoned her. She was later told to leave the country, never return, and never embarrass the Chinese government again. Her family then, through their contacts, arranged for her to leave China and study in the United States. <ref name="BendNot" />


Ping arrived in America at age 25 with little money and few English language skills on F-1 student visa.<ref name="IncMagazine" /> She enrolled in English as a Foreign Language classes and then as a master's student in ] at the ] in ].<ref name="IncMagazine" /> She paid her way through school by working first as a babysitter and cleaning lady, then, as her English improved, as a waitress, though without a work permit.<ref name="BendNot" /> Shortly before completing her MS degree, she moved to ] to attend the ] as an undergraduate.<ref name="IncMagazine" /> She enrolled in the computer science program and began working for Lane Sharman, founder and CEO of Resource Systems Group.<ref name="BendNot" /> Ping arrived in America at age 25 with little money and few English language skills on F-1 student visa.<ref name="IncMagazine" /> She enrolled in English as a Foreign Language classes and then as a master's student in ] at the ] in ].<ref name="IncMagazine" /> She paid her way through school by working first as a babysitter and cleaning lady, then, as her English improved, as a waitress.<ref name="BendNot" /> Shortly before completing her MS degree, she moved to ] to attend the ] as an undergraduate.<ref name="IncMagazine" /> She enrolled in the computer science program and began working for Lane Sharman, founder and CEO of Resource Systems Group.<ref name="BendNot" />


In 1988, after graduating from the University of CA, San Diego with a BA in Computer Science & Economics, she accepted an offer from ] in Naperville, Illinois.<ref name="IncMagazine" /> While working there and taking classes at the ], Ping met her future husband and ] co-founder, computational geometry professor ].<ref name="IncMagazine" /> Ping Fu graduated with an MS from UIUC May 1990 and her advisor was Jane Liu. Ping accepted an offer from the ] on the UIUC campus.<ref name="IncMagazine" /> Her work there contributed to advancements in the fields of virtual reality, image processing, scientific visualization, massive storage, and user interface. Being a programmer herself, Ping hired undergraduate ] to work in her lab in 1992. Marc developed NCSA ], the web browser credited with popularizing the ].<ref name="IncMagazine" /> When Marc graduated in 1993, he went on to found Netscape Communications and launch the flagship web browser ]. In 1988, after graduating from the University of CA, San Diego with a BA in Computer Science & Economics, she accepted an offer from ] in Naperville, Illinois.<ref name="IncMagazine" /> While working there and taking classes at the ], Ping met her future husband and ] co-founder, computational geometry professor ].<ref name="IncMagazine" /> Ping Fu graduated with an MS from UIUC May 1990 and her advisor was Jane Liu. Ping accepted an offer from the ] on the UIUC campus.<ref name="IncMagazine" /> Her work there contributed to advancements in the fields of virtual reality, image processing, scientific visualization, massive storage, and user interface. Being a programmer herself, Ping hired undergraduate ] to work in her lab in 1992. Marc developed NCSA ], the web browser credited with popularizing the ].<ref name="IncMagazine" /> When Marc graduated in 1993, he went on to found Netscape Communications and launch the flagship web browser ].

Revision as of 16:12, 1 March 2013

Ping Fu
File:Ping Fu.jpg
Born1958 (age 66–67)
China
CitizenshipAmerican
EducationUniversity of California, San Diego, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Alma materUniversity of California, San Diego
EmployerGeomagic
Notable workBend, Not Break
Board member of• Kennan Institute of Private Enterprise
• National Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Long Now Foundation
• Modern Meadow
ChildrenDaughter, Xixi
AwardsInc. Magagzine Entrepreneur of the Year 2005

Ping Fu (born 1958) is the co-founder and CEO of Geomagic, a software development company focused on 3D software and technology for design and engineering. Since 2010, she has served on the National Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She also sits on the board of the Long Now Foundation.

Life and career

Ping Fu was born in 1958 in Nanjing, China. Her father was a professor at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and her mother an accountant. They sent Ping to Shanghai to be raised by her aunt and uncle, who had five children all older than Ping. In 1966 when she was eight years old, Ping's upbringing was interrupted by the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. She was taken from her Shanghai family and returned to the city of her birth. She arrived in Nanjing to find that both of her parents had been sent to the countryside for "re-education." Ping was left to care for herself and her birth sister, four-year-old Hong.

For the duration of the Cultural Revolution, Ping Fu took care of her little sister and managed their household with little parental supervision. She received very little formal education, but instead attended study sessions of Mao's Little Red Book led by Red Guards, performed mandatory military service, and worked on farms and in factories, just as many others of her age during that era.

In 1976, Mao Zedong died and the Cultural Revolution came to an abrupt end. Universities in China soon re-opened, and Ping was admitted to Suzhou Teacher's College to study Chinese language and literature. For her thesis, she travelled to the countryside to research the effects of China's newly implemented one-child policy. As an undergraduate of Chinese Language, she spent two years interviewing hundreds of villagers, barefoot doctors, and medical staff, and found that the practice of female infanticide was widespread. Her thesis came to the attention of the authorities, who briefly imprisoned her. She was later told to leave the country, never return, and never embarrass the Chinese government again. Her family then, through their contacts, arranged for her to leave China and study in the United States.

Ping arrived in America at age 25 with little money and few English language skills on F-1 student visa. She enrolled in English as a Foreign Language classes and then as a master's student in computer science at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She paid her way through school by working first as a babysitter and cleaning lady, then, as her English improved, as a waitress. Shortly before completing her MS degree, she moved to San Diego to attend the University of California, San Diego as an undergraduate. She enrolled in the computer science program and began working for Lane Sharman, founder and CEO of Resource Systems Group.

In 1988, after graduating from the University of CA, San Diego with a BA in Computer Science & Economics, she accepted an offer from Bell Labs in Naperville, Illinois. While working there and taking classes at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ping met her future husband and Geomagic co-founder, computational geometry professor Herbert Edelsbrunner. Ping Fu graduated with an MS from UIUC May 1990 and her advisor was Jane Liu. Ping accepted an offer from the National Center for Supercomputing Applications on the UIUC campus. Her work there contributed to advancements in the fields of virtual reality, image processing, scientific visualization, massive storage, and user interface. Being a programmer herself, Ping hired undergraduate Marc Andreessen to work in her lab in 1992. Marc developed NCSA Mosaic, the web browser credited with popularizing the World Wide Web. When Marc graduated in 1993, he went on to found Netscape Communications and launch the flagship web browser Netscape Navigator.

NCSA and UIUC administrators began asking employees if they had any ideas for start-ups, vowing to back any ventures financially. Ping volunteered to start one. Drawing upon 3D imaging technology from her work at NCSA, Ping and her husband co-founded Geomagic in 1997. Her goal was to develop software that could take the data from 3D scanners, process it, and output it on 3D printers, doing for 3D printing what Adobe did for desktop publishing. By 1999, Geomagic had partnered with Boeing and Mattel, and raised $6.5 million in venture capital financing from Franklin Street Partners. The company also moved to Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Ping briefly stepped down as CEO of Geomagic in the spring of 2000, remaining Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer. She returned to the CEO position early in 2001, signing a contract with Align Technologies, manufacturers of Invisalign removable, clear dental devices. In 2003, Geomagic opened its first wholly owned subsidiary, Geomagic GmbH in Germany and completed its first acquisition, of Cadmus Consulting in Hungary. In 2005, Ping was selected by Inc. magazine as its Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2010, she joined the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. On February 27, 2013, Geomagic was acquired by 3D Systems.

Bend, Not Break: A Life in Two Worlds

In late 2012, with co-author MeiMei Fox, Ping published a memoir, Bend, Not Break: A Life in Two Worlds, to positive reviews.

Starting in late January, 2013, Ping became the subject of an Human Flesh Search campaign by Chinese and Chinese-American bloggers and netizens, including Fang Zhouzi, who were upset at her portrayal of her life growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution. They asserted, for example, that she had lied when she claimed to have been gang-raped at the age of 10. Sir Harold Evans, writing on the controversy, stated "The campaign has morphed into a vindictive effort to destroy her life, to have her honors and awards withdrawn, the pending sale of Geomagic disrupted."

Based on the claims of netizens involved in the campaign, several media outlets have examined the controversy, and found some inconsistencies in the book, and in how it was promoted.

Ping has acknowledged some unintentional inaccuracies in Bend, Not Break, noting that it is based on her memory of events, but stands-by the truth of the book. She has provided evidence supporting the stories in her book to media outlets.Penguin Books, the publisher of Bend, Not Break has stated that they stand by the book.

Awards

References

  1. Kathleen Schalch (March 18, 2006). "Ping Fu: Recreating the World in All Its Dimensions". NPR - Technology. NPR. Retrieved 26 Sep 2012.
  2. ^ John Brant (Dec 1, 2005). "Entrepreneur of the Year: Ping Fu". Inc. Mansueto Ventures LLC. Retrieved 26 Sep 2012.
  3. ^ Ping Fu and MeiMei Fox. "Bend, Not Break: A Life in Two Worlds". Portfolio Hardcover. p. 288. ISBN 978-1591845522. Retrieved 26 Sep 2012.
  4. Monica Chen (August 26, 2011). "Ping Fu - Geomagic: Lifetime Achievement Winner". Triangle Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Retrieved 26 Sep 2012.
  5. "Geomagic opens German subsidiary to provide support for Europe, Middle East, Africa". Geomagic Press Release. COLOGNE, Germany. November 3, 2003. Retrieved 26 Sep 2012.
  6. "Geomagic acquires Cadmus Consulting; names Dr. Tamás Várady chief technology officer". Geomagic Press Release. BUDAPEST. 21 October 2003. Retrieved 26 Sep 2012.
  7. "Management Team". About. Geomagic. Retrieved 26 Sep 2012.
  8. "3D Systems acquires Geomagic". 3 January 2013.
  9. http://www.rttnews.com/2065953/3d-systems-completes-geomagic-acquisition.aspx
  10. http://www.oprah.com/book/Bend-Not-Break?editors_pick_id=41296
  11. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324274404578216592019995664.html
  12. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15811544-bend-not-break
  13. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/02/04/ping-fu-defends-bend-not-break-memoir-against-online-chinese-attack.html
  14. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/02/11/the-persecution-of-ping-fu.html
  15. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/04/ping-fu-book-chinese-critics
  16. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/9849838/Doubts-over-Chinese-author-lauded-by-Michelle-Obama.html
  17. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ping-fu/clarifying-the-facts-in-bend-not-break_b_2603405.html
  18. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ping-fu/sad-but-not-broken_b_2603466.html
  19. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/world/asia/21iht-letter21.html
  20. http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/true-or-false-the-tussle-over-ping-fus-memoir/
  21. http://boxun.com/news/gb/china/2013/02/201302260209.shtml#.US6LVDDryR_
  22. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/04/ping-fu-book-chinese-critics
  23. "Ping Fu of Geomagic selected as leading businesswoman in N.C.'s Triangle". RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. August 4, 2005. Retrieved 26 Sep 2012.

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