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USITT

Albert M. Koga

(1915-2003)

Education/Training:

  • University of California at Berkeley, BS in Electrical Engineering (1940)

Employment History:

  • Teacher of math and physics, camp High School, War Relocation Center, Tule Lake, CA (1942)
  • Editor’s note: As a Japanese American, Mr. Koga, along with thousands of others like himself, were interred in relocation centers throughout the west after the Pearl Harbor attack.  Left to their own devices, and without support services, it was up to the inmates to organize their own schools.  Mr. Koga’s programs were so successful that he was soon recruited to teach first at the local town’s high school and then for the Navy V-12 program to train pilots for the war effort.
  • Staff Instructor Navy V-12 program, Doane College, Crete NB (1943-1945)
  • Lighting fixture designer, Steber Lighting Co., Chicago, IL  (1945)
  • Equipment designer, Leander Electric Co., Chicago, IL  (1946-1947)
  • Chief Engineer, Hub Electric Co., Chicago IL (1947-1980)
  • Consultant (w/ Prof. Ted Fuchs of Northwestern University) on 250+ theatre projects throughout the U. S.
  • Instructor (evenings) on stage lighting, Chicago Lighting Institute

Publications:

Co-Author w/ James Hull Miller (USITT Fellow) and/or Publisher of a series of small booklets on Flexible theatre spaces and typical lighting practice.  These were freely distributed to practitioners, architects and consultants (more than 20,000 copies in the U.S. and abroad).

USITT involvement and offices held:

  • Founding Member and first Chair of the USITT Midwest Section
  • Long-time member of the Board of Directors
  • National Conference Treasurer and Registration Chair for the USITT Chicago Conference (1968)
  • Provided funding for regional scholarships for many years

Awards and Honors:

  • Elected USITT Fellow (1995)
  • USITT Midwest Founders Award (1995)
  • Charter Member of IES-TTFL
  • Honored Guest, V-12 Naval Cadet Class Reunions (1993 & 1999) Norfolk, VA