Ted Hsu

Ted Hsu is a Canadian physicist, engineer, academic and former politician who represented the electoral district of Kingston and the Islands in the House of Commons of Canada from 2011 to 2015. He later served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for Kingston and the Islands from 2018 to 2022. Hsu’s background in physics and engineering informed his work on science and technology policy, energy, and innovation during his legislative career.

Early life and education

Born in Kingston, Ontario, Hsu attended local schools before pursuing undergraduate studies at Queen's University at Kingston where he studied physics and mathematics. He completed graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology focusing on condensed matter physics and materials science, interacting with research groups associated with MIT Lincoln Laboratory, MIT Media Lab, and collaborators from Harvard University. During his academic training he engaged with topics linked to semiconductors, quantum mechanics, solid-state physics, and instrumentation used at facilities such as the Canadian Light Source and international laboratories like CERN and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Scientific and engineering career

Hsu worked in research and development roles across academia and industry, including positions at companies and institutions networking with Nortel Networks, Bell Labs, and venture groups connected to Silicon Valley firms. His work touched on factors relevant to materials science, nanotechnology, renewable energy technologies including photovoltaics, and prototype instrumentation similar to devices developed at IBM Research and Intel Corporation. He collaborated with interdisciplinary teams akin to those at National Research Council (Canada) and engaged with patenting and technology transfer practices modeled on procedures from United States Patent and Trademark Office and European Patent Office. Hsu’s engineering outlook drew on frameworks used by innovation clusters such as MaRS Discovery District and startup incubators like Y Combinator.

Political career

Hsu entered federal politics as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada and was elected to the 41st Canadian Parliament representing Kingston and the Islands in the 2011 federal election, serving on committees with ties to Industry Canada, Environment and Sustainable Development, and science policy forums similar to those convened by Council of Canadian Academies. In Ottawa he engaged with ministers and officials from portfolios including Natural Resources Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada, and participated in discussions intersecting with legislation such as trade and regulatory matters resembling debates around the North American Free Trade Agreement and later Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. Hsu advocated for research funding approaches paralleling proposals from organizations like the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and interacted with national stakeholders including universities such as University of Toronto, McGill University, and University of British Columbia.

After his tenure in the House of Commons of Canada, Hsu sought provincial office with the Ontario Liberal Party and was elected in the 2018 Ontario general election to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for Kingston and the Islands. In Queen’s Park he addressed provincial files intersecting with agencies like Ontario Power Generation, Hydro One, and policy debates involving frameworks similar to those of the Ontario Energy Board and provincial ministries such as Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines (Ontario). His provincial work involved engagement with municipal partners including the City of Kingston, regional institutions such as Queen's University at Kingston, and community organizations aligned with civic initiatives found in other jurisdictions like Toronto and Ottawa.

Post-political activities and advocacy

Following his legislative service, Hsu returned to activities bridging science, policy, and civic technology, working with academic units, non-profit organizations, and advisory boards that parallel entities such as the Institute for Research on Public Policy, David Suzuki Foundation, and Pembina Institute. He has been involved in initiatives promoting evidence-based policymaking analogous to efforts by Evidence for Democracy and participated in public engagement events similar to forums organized by Science Rendezvous and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. Hsu also supported local innovation ecosystems resembling Ontario Centres of Excellence and community sustainability projects comparable to those led by Transition Towns networks.

Personal life

Residing in Kingston, Ontario, Hsu has family ties to the local community and connections with cultural institutions such as the Royal Military College of Canada and the Leonardus Centre (note: cultural programming institutions). He is known to engage with public lectures, university seminars, and community groups similar to chapters of national organizations like the Canadian Federation of Students and the YMCA, and has contributed to public discourse on topics that intersect with national conversations framed by actors such as the CBC, The Globe and Mail, and National Post.

Category:Canadian physicists Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario Category:Ontario Liberal Party MPPs Category:People from Kingston, Ontario