Welcome to my virtual Night of the Notables presentation! My name is Chien-Shiung Wu, and I am best known for my contributions to physics, namely my discoveries on the conservation of parity. Today, I hope to take you through some of the proudest moments of my life and share how I came to become one of the most influential women in physics in the 20th century.
Here is a link to a PowerPoint that highlights my life: Eminent2020_Chien-ShiungWu.pptx
Thank you for taking the time to join me here tonight; I really appreciate it! If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave a comment down below, and I will respond as soon as possible.
December 11, 2020 at 9:05 pm
Grace! As always, your work speaks for it itself. Well done!
December 12, 2020 at 3:04 am
Thank you so much Mr. Gosselin!
December 12, 2020 at 3:53 am
Hello! Thank you for guiding me through your truly eminent life. Your accomplishments as an individual who had so many obstacles in the way of success are truly inspiring. What is something you learned during your work that motivated you throughout all else? How did you push yourself to become such an influential scientist and person?
(Also, I love the jokes/riddles.)
Well done on your learning centre!
-Lara
December 12, 2020 at 4:00 am
Hi Lara! Thank you so much for your kind comments! I think one of my primary motivations was the overwhelming joy of discovering more about the world around me. Even though I would often work on researching one area for months, a mere glimpse of the true wonder of science could be the reward of a lifetime, and those were moments of exhilaration and ecstasy! When I encountered difficulties, I found that the most effective way to overcome those challenges was to approach them from a healthy mindset and to believe in one’s abilities in reaching their goals. By following my passion and trying my best to pave the way for young girls to become more involved in STEM, I became the role model that I had always dreamed of having when I was younger.
December 12, 2020 at 3:56 am
Beautiful presentation, great eminent choice, and awesome learning centre!!!
December 12, 2020 at 4:00 am
Thank you!
December 12, 2020 at 4:05 am
Thank you for inspiring others to seek a career in physics. By the way I love your jokes? Who and what influenced you to become who you are?
December 12, 2020 at 4:13 am
Thank you Ms. Mulder! One of the most influential figures in my life was the revolutionary physicist and chemist Marie Curie. When I was a student at the Suzhou Girls’ High School, I encountered a biography of Curie, who was widely considered a pioneer in her field, being the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only woman to win it twice. Curie’s achievements ignited a lifelong passion in me as a young girl, and only increased my devotion to learning about science. I also owe much of my success to my father, who has always believed strongly in equal rights for women. He founded and became the principal of Mingde School, the region’s first school for girls, in order to encourage me and my peers to receive an education.
December 12, 2020 at 4:18 am
Chien-ShiungWu, you sure lived up to your name through your amazing accomplishments. What inspired you to leave your family in China to start a new life in the United States? Also, were there any individuals that encourage you to pursue physics at a time when the field is predominately male?
December 12, 2020 at 4:23 am
Thank you for your kindness Brandon! I was inspired to leave my hometown in China and travel to the United States by the learning opportunities I saw here. However, when I first arrived, I did not expect my career to take off in the way it did. Although I was separated from my family in China, my parents were extremely supportive in encouraging me to pursue my dreams and challenge the gender customs at the time.
December 12, 2020 at 4:20 am
Wonderful presentation, Grace! I love reading about women pioneers in their field. At the same time, it frustrates me to read about their gender or race-related obstacles, like not receiving equal pay at first, or denied a Nobel prize. I am glad I know who Chien-Shiung Wu is now, thank you for introducing me to her legacy 🙂
December 12, 2020 at 4:26 am
Thank you so much Sharon for coming to my learning center! I agree that it is very frustrating to hear of all of the discrimination faced by pioneers in the field. I always wonder where the basis for discriminatory acts orginiate from – do the tiny atoms and nuclei, or the mathematical symbols, or the DNA molecules have any preference for either masculine or feminine treatment? However, I too am extremely thankful that they have left a legacy that can inspire and help youth aspiring to make a difference in the world!
December 12, 2020 at 4:24 am
This was so well done! I didn’t realize she did the conservation of parity experiment as well, that’s so cool!! Shame about the nobel peace prize, though. What would you say the most rewarding moment of your life has been?
December 12, 2020 at 4:33 am
Thank you so much Devon! I would say that the most rewarding moments of my life were meeting and sharing my story with young girls interested in STEM and experimentally disproving the fundamental “law” of the conservation of parity. To me, beta decay almost feels like an old friend, and I always wonder, could it be that the excitement and ennobling feelings that come with scientific discoveries keep us scientists marching forward forever?
December 12, 2020 at 4:33 am
Amazing Learning centre! I learned so much! 🙂 I hope you have a good rest of Night of the Notables!
December 12, 2020 at 4:36 am
Thanks so much Emma! And you enjoy the rest of Night of the Notables too!
December 12, 2020 at 4:40 am
What an interesting life you lived! A true pioneer. What motivated you to pursue this distinguished career in Physics? And has there been a movement to right the injustice of denying you a Nobel Prize?
December 12, 2020 at 4:47 am
Thank you! I was motivated to pursue this career in physics because of my interest in learning more about the world around me, and my love for the sciences was encouraged by my family ever since I was a young girl. To answer your other question, although many people agree that my work was revolutionary and deserved a Nobel Prize, there has never been an official movement that has resulted in a posthumous reward.
Enjoy the rest of the Night of the Notables!
December 12, 2020 at 4:59 am
Ms. Wu, a female with a male’s name. You are a real hero in the field of physics that had contributed a lot to the science world, and can compare to any other male scientists. Proud of you.
December 12, 2020 at 5:11 am
Thank you so much Michael!
December 12, 2020 at 5:18 am
Awesome learning centre! I really enjoyed learning more about your life and the accomplishments you made! Nice jokes and riddles too! 🙂
December 12, 2020 at 5:19 am
Thank you Natasha!
December 12, 2020 at 5:25 am
Grace! I loved how structured and organized your presentation was – it totally suits your eminent person! Your jokes were also amazing HeHe 😉
December 12, 2020 at 5:26 am
Thank you Brianna! And I’m very glad you enjoyed the jokes HeHe 🙂