Queen of Physics
How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom
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When Wu Chien Shiung was born in China 100 years ago, most girls did not attend school; no one considered them as smart as boys. But her parents felt differently. Giving her a name meaning “Courageous Hero,” they encouraged her love of learning and science. This engaging biography follows Wu Chien Shiung as she battles sexism and racism to become what Newsweek magazine called the “Queen of Physics” for her work on beta decay. Along the way, she earned the admiration of famous scientists like Enrico Fermi and Robert Oppenheimer and became the first woman hired as an instructor by Princeton University, the first woman elected President of the American Physical Society, the first scientist to have an asteroid named after her when she was still alive, and many other honors.
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I was inspired to read this book and don't regret my decision. I'm glad I got to learn about Chien Shiung and how she was encouraged by her family to study even though Chinese girls were discouraged from pursuing higher education when she was growing up. I am saddened that she couldn't get the Nobel Prize despite working on pivotal projects but that was mainly due to the fact that she is an Asian woman, which is completely all in all. It's an easy read but I learnt about a new person that I want to learn about.
