View source for Paul Ching Wu Chu

{{Short description|Chinese-American physicist (born 1941)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Paul Ching Wu Chu
| image               = Chu Ching-wu 20240414 (cropped) (cropped).jpg
| native_name         = {{no bold|朱經武}}
| native_name_lang    = zh-hant
| order               = 2nd
| title               = President of [[Hong Kong University of Science and Technology]]
| term_start          = 2001
| term_end            = 2009
| chancellor          = [[Tung Chee-hwa]]<br />[[Donald Tsang]]
| predecessor         = [[Woo Chia-wei]]
| successor           = [[Tony F. Chan]]
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1941|12|2}}
| birth_place         = [[Changsha]], [[Hunan]], [[Republic of China (1912–49)|China]]
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| residence           = 
| citizenship         = [[Republic of China]]<br />[[United States]]
| module              = {{Infobox scientist | embed=yes
  | fields      = [[Physics]]
  | workplaces  = [[Bell Laboratories]]<br />[[Cleveland State University]]<br />[[University of Houston]]<br />[[Hong Kong University of Science and Technology|HKUST]] (2001–2009)<br /> [[Taiwan Comprehensive University System]] (2012–)
  | alma_mater        = 
  | thesis_title      = High pressure study on the superconductivity of transition metals and alloys
  | thesis_url        = https://www.proquest.com/docview/302318984/
  | thesis_year       = 1968
  | doctoral_advisor  = [[Bernd T. Matthias]]
  | academic_advisors =
  | doctoral_students =
  | notable_students  =
  | known_for         =
  | influences        =
  | influenced        =
  | awards            = [[Comstock Prize in Physics]] {{small|(1988)}}<br />[[National Medal of Science]] {{small|(1988)}}<br />[[Bernd T. Matthias Prize]] {{small|(1994)}}<br />[[John Fritz Medal]] {{small|(2001)}}
  }}
{{infobox Chinese
|child=yes
|t = 朱經武
|s = 朱经武
|p = Zhū Jīng Wǔ
|j= Zyu<sup>1</sup> Ging<sup>1</sup> Mou<sup>5</sup>
}}
| caption             = Chu in 2024
| education           = [[National Cheng Kung University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br />[[Fordham University]] ([[Master of Science|MS]])<br />[[University of California, San Diego]] ([[PhD]])
}}

'''Paul Ching Wu Chu''' ({{lang-zh|t = 朱經武}}; born December 2, 1941) is a Taiwanese-American physicist specializing in [[superconductivity]], [[magnetism]], and [[dielectric]]s. He is a professor of physics and T.L.L. Temple Chair of Science in the [[UH Physics Department|Physics Department]] at the [[University of Houston College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics]]. He was the president of the [[Hong Kong University of Science and Technology]] from 2001 to 2009. In 1987, he was one of the first scientists to demonstrate [[high-temperature superconductor|high-temperature superconductivity]].

== Early life and education ==
Chu was born in [[Changsha]], [[Hunan]], [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] in 1941. Chu's family was from [[Taishan, Guangdong|Taishan]], [[Guangdong]]. Chu spent his childhood in [[Taiwan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalscienceandtechnologymedalsfoundation.org/laureates/paul-ching-wu-chu |title=Paul (Ching-Wu) Chu |publisher=nationalscienceandtechnologymedalsfoundation.org |first=Rachel |last=Warren |access-date=August 14, 2019}}</ref><ref name="CAH">{{cite web|url=http://www.chineseamericanheroes.org/heroes/2012/Paul%20Chu.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913140617/http://www.chineseamericanheroes.org/heroes/2012/Paul%20Chu.pdf|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 13, 2015|title=Paul Chu|work=ChineseAmericanHeroes.org|access-date=August 2, 2020}}</ref> 

In 1958, Chu graduated from [[Taichung Municipal Cingshuei Senior High School]]. He then earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] (B.S.) in physics from [[National Cheng Kung University]] in 1962, a [[Master of Science]] (M.S.) from [[Fordham University]] in 1965, and his [[Ph.D.]] from the [[University of California, San Diego]], in 1968.<ref name="thesis-chu-1968">{{cite thesis |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/302318984/ |title=High pressure study on the superconductivity of transition metals and alloys |date=1968 |publisher=[[University of California, San Diego]] |type=Ph.D. |last=Chu |first=Ching-wu |id={{ProQuest|302318984 }}|url-access=subscription  |oclc=17622858}}</ref>

== Career ==
After two years of performing industrial research with [[Bell Laboratories]] at [[Murray Hill, New Jersey]], Chu was appointed [[assistant professor]] of physics at [[Cleveland State University]] in 1970. He was subsequently promoted to [[associate professor]] and professor of physics in 1973 and 1975, respectively.

In 1979, Chu became a professor of physics at the [[University of Houston]], an appointment he still holds. In 1987, he and [[Maw-Kuen Wu]] announced the historic discovery of [[superconductivity]] above 77 K in [[YBCO]],<ref>
{{cite journal
|author1=M. K. Wu |title=Superconductivity at 93 K in a new mixed-phase Y-Ba-Cu-O compound system at ambient pressure |author2=J. R. Ashburn |author3=C. J. Torng |author4=P. H. Hor |author5=R. L. Meng |author6=L. Gao |author7=Z. J. Huang |author8=Y. Q. Wang |author9=C. W. Chu |journal = Phys. Rev. Lett.
|volume = 58
|pages = 908–910
|year = 1987
|doi = 10.1103/PhysRevLett.58.908
|pmid = 10035069
|issue = 9
|bibcode = 1987PhRvL..58..908W|doi-access=free }}</ref> touching off a frenzy of scientific excitement exemplified by the [[Woodstock of physics]], at which he was a featured presenter.<ref name="Chang">{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/06/science/06supe.html |title = Physicists Remember When Superconductors Were Hot |last=Chang |first=Kenneth |date=March 6, 2007 |work=New York Times|access-date=22 August 2013}}</ref> He was then appointed the director of the [[Texas Center for Superconductivity]]. Chu has served as the T.L.L. Temple Chair of Science at the same university since 1987. He also has served as a consultant and visiting staff member at [[Bell Laboratories]], [[Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory]], the [[Marshall Space Flight Center]], [[Argonne National Laboratory]] and [[DuPont]] at various times.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ashk.org.hk/en/ourMembers/details/10 | title=Paul C W CHU – Our Members|publisher=The Hong Kong Academy of Sciences 香港科學院|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526152214/http://www.ashk.org.hk/en/ourMembers/details/10|archive-date=26 May 2019}}</ref>

Chu has received numerous awards and honors for his outstanding work in superconductivity, including the [[National Medal of Science]]<ref>[https://www.nsf.gov/od/nms/recip_details.cfm?recip_id=77 National Science Foundation – The President's National Medal of Science]</ref> and the [[Comstock Prize in Physics]] in 1988,<ref name="Comstock">{{cite web |title = Comstock Prize in Physics |url = http://www.nasonline.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AWARDS_comstock |publisher = National Academy of Sciences |access-date = 13 February 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101229195326/http://www.nasonline.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AWARDS_comstock |archive-date = 29 December 2010 }}</ref> and the American Physical Society's [[International Prize for New Materials]]. He was an invited contributor to the White House National Millennium Time Capsule at the National Archives in 2000 and was selected the Best Researcher in the U.S. by ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' in 1990.

In 1989, Chu was elected a Fellow of the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]].<ref name="AAAS">{{cite web |title = Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter C |url = http://www.amacad.org/publications/BookofMembers/ChapterB.pdf|publisher=American Academy of Arts and Sciences |access-date = June 8, 2011}}</ref> He is a member of the [[United States National Academy of Sciences|National Academy of Sciences]], [[Chinese Academy of Sciences]] (foreign member), [[Academia Sinica]], Russian Academy of Engineering (RAE) and the [[Third World Academy of Sciences]]. His research activities extend beyond superconductivity to [[magnetism]] and [[dielectric]]s. {{citation needed|date=August 2009}}

On November 17, 2014, an IEEE Milestone in Electrical Engineering and Computing plaque was presented to [[University of Houston]] for Chu and his team's 1987 discovery of high temperature superconductors.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ieeecsc.org/pages/ieee-milestone-electrical-engineering-and-computing-presented-university-houston-discovery |title=IEEE Milestone in Electrical Engineering and Computing Presented to University of Houston for Discovery of High Temperature Superconductors |publisher=ieeecsc.org |date=November 2014 |access-date=August 14, 2019}}(The IEEE Milestone plaque is mounted in the lobby area of Science Research Building One.)</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ethw.org/Milestones:High-Temperature_Superconductivity,_1987 |title=Milestones: High Temperature Superconductivity, 1987 |publisher=ethw.org |access-date=August 14, 2019}}</ref>

On September 1, 2001, Chu succeeded Professor [[Chia-Wei Woo]] as the president of [[The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology]]. Chu's tenure as university president ended officially on 1 September 2009.

On November 5, 2011, Chu was appointed as the founding President of the [[Taiwan Comprehensive University System]] (TCUS).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tcus.edu.tw/English/About/Idea | title=Concept of Establishment – About TCUS – Taiwan Comprehensive University System, TCUS }}</ref>

== Personal life ==
He is married to May Chu, the daughter of [[Shiing-Shen Chern]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shiing-shen Chern – Biography |url=https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Chern/ |access-date=2023-12-25 |website=Maths History |language=en}}</ref>

== Awards and honors ==
* Honorary Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree from [[Whittier College]]. (1991)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whittier.edu/alumni/poetnation/honorary|title=Honorary Degrees {{!}} Whittier College|website=www.whittier.edu|access-date=2020-02-19}}</ref>
* 2014 IEEE Council on Superconductivity Max Swerdlow Award for Sustained Service to the Applied Superconductivity Community.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ssl.uh.edu/uhnews/newsletter/fall-2014/success/chu-selvamanickam-honored.php |title=Chu, Selvamanickam Honored Superconductivity Achievements |publisher=uh.eduedu |first=Jeannie |last=Kever |date=2014 |access-date=August 14, 2019}}</ref>

== Lectures ==
* 1991 – [https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb3141212d High temperature superconductivity: four years later]  Lecture sponsored by the Dept. of Electrical and Computer engineering, University of California, San Diego. Electrical and Computer Engineering Distinguished Lecture Series. Digital object made available by UC San Diego Library.

== See also ==
* [[Committee of 100 (United States)]]
* [[yttrium]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Additional sources ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite news|last1=Gleick|first1=James|title=In the trenches of science|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/16/magazine/in-the-trenches-of-science.html?pagewanted=all&mcubz=3|access-date=27 September 2017|work=The New York Times|date=16 August 1987}}
* {{cite book|last1=Hazen|first1=Robert M.|title=The breakthrough : the race for the superconductor|date=1988|publisher=Summit Books|location=New York|isbn=9780671658298|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/breakthroughrace00haze}}.
* {{cite book|last1=Matricon|first1=Jean|last2=Glashausser|first2=Georges Waysand; translated by Charles|title=The cold wars : a history of superconductivity|date=2003|publisher=Rutgers University Press|location=New Brunswick, N.J.|isbn=9780813532950}}

{{Refend}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.uh.edu/nsm/physics/people/profiles/paul-chu/ Paul Chu at uh.edu] – [https://web.archive.org/web/20120114171618/http://phys.uh.edu/people/detail/?155622-961-5=cwchu2 at archive.org]
* [http://www.ashk.org.hk/en/ourMembers/details/10 Paul C. W. Chu at ashk.org.hk]
* [https://www.committee100.org/member/paul-c-w-chu/ Paul C. W. Chu at committee100.org]
* [https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/paul-ching-wu-chu Paul Ching-Wu Chu at encyclopedia.com]

{{Commons category}}

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{{s-aca}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Woo Chia-wei]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[President (education)|President]] of the [[Hong Kong University of Science and Technology]]|years=2001–2009}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Tony F. Chan]]}}
{{s-bef|before=}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[President (education)|President]] of the [[Taiwan Comprehensive University System]]|years=2012–}}
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{{s-end}}

{{Winners of the National Medal of Science|physical}}
{{John Fritz Medal}}
{{Chinese Academy of Sciences}}
{{Hong Kong University of Science and Technology}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chu, Chingwu}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Chinese emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:21st-century American physicists]]
[[Category:Cleveland State University alumni]]
[[Category:Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences]]
[[Category:Fordham University alumni]]
[[Category:Members of Academia Sinica]]
[[Category:Members of the Committee of 100]]
[[Category:National Cheng Kung University alumni]]
[[Category:National Medal of Science laureates]]
[[Category:People from Changsha]]
[[Category:University of California, San Diego alumni]]
[[Category:University of Houston faculty]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology]]
[[Category:Educators from Hunan]]
[[Category:Scientists from Hunan]]
[[Category:Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Foreign members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Fellows of the American Physical Society]]