Chien-Shiung Wu

A pioneering physicist who overturned fundamental laws of symmetry in physics and advanced nuclear research.

Chien-Shiung Wu (1912–1997), often hailed as the 'First Lady of Physics', made groundbreaking contributions to nuclear physics and particle science. Her most famous experiment, the Wu Experiment, disproved the Law of Parity Conservation in 1956, reshaping modern physics.

Born in China, Wu moved to the U.S. in 1936 to pursue her doctorate at UC Berkeley. Despite facing gender and racial discrimination, she became a leading expert in beta decay. During World War II, she contributed to the Manhattan Project, improving radiation detection methods.

Her parity violation experiment, conducted with physicists Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen-Ning Yang, demonstrated that weak nuclear forces do not adhere to parity symmetry. Though Lee and Yang received the 1957 Nobel Prize for the theoretical work, Wu was controversially excluded—a decision still criticized today.

Wu also made strides in beta decay studies, authored influential textbooks, and advocated for women in STEM. Her legacy as a trailblazer in physics and a champion of equality remains unparalleled.