Chi-Ming Chu

Chinese-American chemist

Chi-Ming Chu (born 1945) is a prominent Chinese-American chemist known for his contributions to the field of organic chemistry. He has made significant advancements in the study of chemical synthesis and catalysis.

Early Life and Education

Chi-Ming Chu was born in 1945 in Shanghai, China. He moved to the United States to pursue higher education, where he attended the University of California, Berkeley. Chu earned his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 1967. He continued his studies at Harvard University, where he obtained his Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1971 under the supervision of Professor E. J. Corey, a Nobel laureate in chemistry.

Career

After completing his doctoral studies, Chu joined the faculty at Stanford University as an assistant professor in 1972. He was promoted to associate professor in 1977 and became a full professor in 1982. During his tenure at Stanford, Chu focused on the development of new synthetic methodologies and the application of these methods to the synthesis of complex natural products.

Research Contributions

Chu's research has been instrumental in advancing the field of organic chemistry. He is particularly noted for his work on the development of novel catalytic reactions that have broad applications in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and other biologically active compounds. His research group has published extensively on the use of transition metal catalysis and asymmetric synthesis to create molecules with high precision and efficiency.

Chi-Ming Chu

Awards and Honors

Throughout his career, Chu has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to chemistry. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1995 and the National Academy of Sciences in 2002. In 2010, he was awarded the ACS Award in Pure Chemistry for his pioneering work in the field.

Personal Life

Chi-Ming Chu is married and has two children. He is known for his dedication to teaching and mentoring young scientists. Outside of his professional work, Chu enjoys classical music and is an avid reader of historical biographies.

Related Pages

• Organic chemistry
• Catalysis
• Chemical synthesis
• Transition metal catalysis