Chien-Shiung Wu
Chinese-American physicist who proved parity is not conserved.
Chien-Shiung Wu was a Chinese-American particle and experimental physicist who made significant contributions in the fields of nuclear and particle physics.
- field
- Particle and experimental physics
- nationality
- Chinese-American
- known_for
- Wu experiment proving parity non-conservation, Manhattan Project work on uranium isotope separation
Lore & Background
Her father, an engineer and social progressive, encouraged her interest in science, and her mother was a teacher who valued education for both sexes. She was shocked by sexism at Michigan, where women were not allowed to use the front entrance, and chose Berkeley instead, enrolling with the help of department head Raymond T. Birge. At Berkeley, her official supervisor was Ernest O.
Reader's Guide
Chien-Shiung Wu's significance lies in her experimental confirmation of parity violation, a cornerstone of modern physics that reshaped understanding of fundamental forces. Her Wu experiment demonstrated that weak nuclear interactions do not conserve parity, overturning a long-held assumption in physics. Her legacy endures as a symbol of rigorous experimental physics and as an inspiration for underrepresented groups in science.
Did You Know?
- Wu was nicknamed the 'First Lady of Physics,' the 'Chinese Marie Curie,' and the 'Queen of Nuclear Research.'
- At Berkeley, she was called 'Gee Gee' and was described by Nobel laureate Luis Alvarez as 'the most talented and most beautiful experimental physicist I have ever met.'
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