Jeff Lu “A Reflection on Personal Computing Devices-from PCs to iPads” MEETING DATE: Thursday, April 23, 2026 6:45PM - 8:45PM (Zoom meeting room opens at 6:45 PM; Meeting starts at 7 PM) via Zoom virtual meeting.

Description

Jeff Lu, a retired executive from Foxconn, will share lessons and anecdotes from his personal experience helping design and build PC's thru iPads from the early 1980's at MIT all the way thru the 2020's in China. This promises to be a captivating journey through the evolution of personal technology, told firsthand by someone whose influence has spanned decades of innovation.

Jeff Lu’s Background

Jeff Lu (MIT '83 SB 7A, '84 SB 61) is a retired executive from Foxconn, the world's largest manufacturer of computer and electronic products. From his early days at MIT in the 1980s, where he built his first computer over IAP (housed in a milk crate in Senior House, no less!) and met his wife Ann Lu '82, to helping design and build PCs and iPads across the globe, Jeff’s career is a testament to curiosity and constant learning. He's contributed to the launch of PC products with industry leaders like Digital, Dell, Compaq, and IBM, and was a founding member of the PCI Express standard - which remains foundational to all modern hardware computing systems. As the landscape of technology shifted, so did Jeff, relocating to Asia to lead PC engineering with Foxconn. His expertise extended into launching several generations of iPads with Apple and collaborating with Microsoft on a folding tablet before returning from Asia in 2020. Alongside his professional achievements, Jeff holds degrees in Biology and Electrical Engineering from MIT, a Master's in Computer Architecture and Neural Networks from Duke, and an MBA from Northeastern.