Faculty Profile - University of Houston
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Faculty Profile

Paul C. W. ChuPaul C. W. Chu

Professor of Physics, T. L. L. Temple Chair of Science, and
Founding Director & Chief Scientist, Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston
Department of Physics

Office: HSC-262
Contact: cwchu@uh.edu - (713) 743-8222

Education: Ph.D., University of California, San Diego

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Figure 1Tc max-evolution with timeExperimental Solid State Physics: superconductivity, magnetism, and dielectrics at high pressure and low temperature; searching for novel superconductors; unraveling the mechanism behind HTS; raising the Tc; fabricating HTS; and developing practical uses of HTS.

  • "Interface-induced superconductivity at ~ 25 K at ambient pressure in undoped CaFe2As2 single crystals," K. Zhao, B. Lv, L. Z. Deng, S. Y. Huyan, Y. Y. Xue and C. W. Chu, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 113, 12968 (2016).

  • “Cuprates—Superconductors with a Tc up to 164 K,” C. W. Chu, Section 4.4 of Chapter 4, “Materials,” in 100 Years of Superconductivity, ed. by H. Rogalla and P. H. Kes (Boca Raton FL: Taylor & Francis/CRC, 2012), p. 244.

  • “The Evolution of HTS: Tc-Experiment Perspectives,” C. W. Chu, Ch. 16 in 50 Years of Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer, ed. by L. N. Cooper and D. Feldman (Singapore: World Scientific, 2010), p. 391.

  • “Field-Induced Re-Entrant Novel Phase and a Ferroelectric-Magnetic Order Coupling in HoMnO3,” B. Lorenz, A. P. Litvinchuk, M. M. Gospodinov and C. W. Chu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 087204 (2004).

  • “Superconductivity up to 126 Kelvin in Interstitially Doped Ba2Can-1CunOx [02(n-1)n-Ba],” C. W. Chu, Y. Y. Xue, Z. L. Du, Y. Y. Sun, L. Gao, N. L. Wu, Y. Cao, I. Rusakova and K. Ross, Science 277, 1081 (1997).

  • “Superconductivity up to 164 K in HgBa2Cam-1CumO2m+2+δ (m = 1, 2, and 3) Under Quasihydrostatic Pressures,” L. Gao, Y. Y. Xue, F. Chen, Q. Xiong, R. L. Meng, D. Ramirez, C. W. Chu, J. H. Eggert and H. K. Mao, Phys. Rev. B, “Rapid Communications” 50, 4260 (1994).

  • “Superconductivity at 93 K in a New Mixed-Phase Y-Ba-Cu-O Compound System at Ambient Pressure,” M. K. Wu, J. R. Ashburn, C. J. Torng, P. H. Hor, R. L. Meng, L. Gao, Z. J. Huang, Y. Q. Wang and C. W. Chu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 908 (1987).

Honors

Founding Member, Academy of Sciences of Hong Kong (HKAS), 2015
Charter Fellow, National Academy of Inventors, 2013
Fellow, Hong Kong Institution of Science, 2011
Member, Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, 2010
Foreign Member, Russian Academy of Engineering, 2005
Member, The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas, 2004
Foreign Member, Chinese Academy of Sciences (PRC), 1996
Fellow, Texas Academy of Sciences, 1992
Member, Electromagnetic Academy, 1990
Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1989
Member, National Academy of Sciences, 1989
Member, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), 1989
Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (RSA), 1989
Member, Academia Sinica (ROC), 1988
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 1987
Fellow, American Physical Society, 1978

Awards

IEEE Milestone on “High-Temperature Superconductivity, 1987,” dedicated 2014
IEEE Council on Superconductivity Max Swerdlow Award for Sustained Service to the Applied Superconductivity Community, 2014
International Leadership Foundation Inspirational Award, 2014
Recipient, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers Hall of Fame Award, 2010
Distinguished Visiting Chair Professorship, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, 2009
K. T. Li Professor Chair Award, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, 2009
One of 100 Influential Alumni, University of California, San Diego, Alumni Association, 2009
Prize Ettore Majorana - Erice - Science for Peace 2007, Ettore Majorana Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture, awarded 2008
Lifetime Achievement Award, Chinese Institute of Engineers (CIE-USA), 2008
Cha Distinguished Chair, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 2006
Achievement Award, Chinese Professional Club, 2006
One of Houston’s Leaders and Legends, H Texas Magazine, 2006
Distinguished Lectureship sponsored by Applied Materials, Inc., National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, 2005
Cohen-Ofer Distinguished Lectureship on Experimental Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel, 2004
Invited Contributor, Chemical & Engineering News 80th Anniversary Special Issue on the Elements, 2003
Distinguished Lectureship, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, 2003
Distinguished Lectureship, Chien-Shiung Wu and Luck C. L. Yuan Natural Science Foundation, 2003
Certificate of Merit, National Awards Program, Adult Community Category, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, 2001
Distinguished Achievement Award, Association of American-Chinese Professionals (AACP) Foundation, 2001
John Fritz Medal, American Association of Engineering Societies, 2001
Honoree, Alliance for Multicultural Community Services, 2000
Esther Farfel Award, University of Houston, 2000
One of the 20th Century’s 100 Most Influential People in Gas and Electricity, Century of Power, Hart Energy Markets, 2000
Invited Contributor, National Millennium Time Capsule, 2000
Sharif University Award, 1999
Houston Hall of Fame Award, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, 1999
Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award, Washington DC Metropolitan Association of Chinese American Professionals, 1998
Bernd Matthias Prize, International Conference on Materials and Mechanisms of Superconductivity, High Temperature Superconductors, 1994
Superconductivity Award of Excellence in Scientific Accomplishments, World Congress on Superconductivity, 1994
St. Martin de Porres Award, 1990
Best Researcher in the US, US News and World Report, 1990
Texas Instruments Founders' Prize, 1990
Medal of Scientific Merit, World Cultural Council, 1989
International Prize for New Materials, American Physical Society, 1988
Comstock Award, National Academy of Sciences, 1988
Distinguished Alumnus Award, Cheng-Kung University, 1988
Houston Hall of Fame Award, Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1988
National Medal of Science, 1988
NASA Achievement Award, 1987
Leroy Randle Grumman Medal for Outstanding Scientific Achievement, Grumman Corporation, 1987
Physical and Mathematical Science Award, New York Academy of Sciences, 1987
Distinguished Alumnus Award, University of California at San Diego, 1987
Sigma Xi Research Excellence Award, 1987
Faculty Research Award, University of Houston, 1987
Achievement Award, Chinese American Academic and Professional Association, 1987
Honorary Citizen of the State of Texas, 1987
Honorary Citizen of the City of Houston, 1987

Honorary Doctorates & Positions

Honorary Professorship, National Tsinghua University, 2009
Honorary Doctorate, Loughborough University, 2007
Honorary Doctorate, University of Macau, 2006
Honorary Presidency, Jiaxing University, 2006
Honorary Doctorate, Providence University, 2005
Honorary Professorship, Dongnan University, 2003
Honorary Doctorate, Hong Kong Baptist University, 1999
Honorary Professorship Nanjing University, 1996
Honorary Professorship Chinese University of Science and Technology, 1991
Honorary Professorship Nankai University, 1991
Honorary Doctorate, Whittier College, 1991
Honorary Doctorate, Florida International University, 1989
Honorary Doctorate, State University of New York at Farmingdale, 1989
Honorary Doctorate, Fordham University, 1988
Honorary Doctorate, Northwestern University, 1988
Honorary Doctorate, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1988
Honorary Professorship Zhongshan University, 1988
Honorary Professorship, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Physics Institute, 1979

Current Appointments

Professor of Physics, University of Houston, 1979
T. L. L. Temple Chair of Science, University of Houston, 1987
Guest Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2005
Founding Director, Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2006
President Emeritus and University Professor Emeritus, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2009
Founding Director & Chief Scientist, Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston, 2011
Honorary Chancellor, Taiwan Comprehensive University System, 2012
Adjunct Professor of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 2014

Advisory Boards and Committees

Member, Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture (SICSA) Internal Advisory Committee, University of Houston, 2016-present
Panel Head, Judging Panel, Yidan Prize for Education Research, The Yidan Prize Foundation, 2016-2018
Member, Intelligence Science and Technology Experts Group (ISTEG), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2015-2019
Member, Advisory Committee, International Research Collaboration on Physics of Advanced Materials (IRPAM), Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 2014-present
Member, International Advisory Board, National Taiwan University, 2014-present
Member, Selection Committee, The Tang Prize for Sustainable Development, Academia Sinica, 2013-2018
Member, Advisory Board, Scientists in International Context Program, Rice University, 2013-present
Member, University Evaluation Committee, National Tsing Hua University, 2013-present
Overseas Chinese Expert Advisor, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, Shanghai Municipal Government, China, 2012-present
Member, International Advisory Committee, Innovative Center for Frontier Sciences, Ministry of Education, China, 2012-present
Senior Member, Shenzhen (China) Municipal Science and Technology Advisory Committee, 2010-present
Director, Board of Directors, Chiang Chen Industrial Charity Foundation (Hong Kong) Ltd., 2010-2019
Director, Board of Directors, Wu Ta-You Foundation, Taiwan, Republic of China, 2009-2018
Member, Consultation Committee, Development Plan for World Class Universities and Research Centers of Excellence, Ministry of Education, Republic of China, 2009-present
Member, Advisory Committee, National Cheng Kung University, 2008-present
Member, Business and Scientific Advisory Board, Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, 2006-present
Member, Advisory Committee of Chinese Overseas Experts, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, State Council, China, 2005-present
Member, Programme Advisory Committee, Institute for Advanced Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 2005-present
Member, Advisory Board, Center for Integrated Bio and Nano Systems at the University of Houston, 2004-present
Member, Academia Sinica, Council, 2002-present
Member, Academia Sinica, Central Advisory Committee, 2002-present
Chair, Matthias Prize Committee, International Conference on Materials and Mechanisms of Superconductivity and High Temperature Superconductors (M2S-HTSC), 2001-present
Chair, Academic Advisory Committee, Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, 2001-present
Member, S. S. Chern Foundation for Mathematical Research, Board of Directors, 2000-present
Member, T. S. Chang Scholarship Foundation, Board of Directors, 1999-present
Member, Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (Rice U), Scientific Advisory Board, 1995-present
Member, China-America Technology Corporation, International Advisory Board, 1995-present
Member, Coalition for the Commercial Application of Superconductors (CCAS), Board of Directors, 1989-present

Journal Editorial & Advisory Boards

Materials Today Physics, Editorial Board, 2017-present
National Science Review (China), Advisory Board, 2013-2018
Physica C, Advisory Board, 2012-present
Jordan Journal of Physics, International Advisory Board, 2006-present
Science in China, Editorial Board, 1997-present
Chinese Science Bulletin, Editorial Board, 1997-present
Brazilian Journal of Physics, Editorial Board, 1995-present
News and Reviews of Physics in China Today, AIP Editorial Board, 1992-present
Indian Journal of Pure and Applied Physics, Editorial Board, 1992-present
Modern Physics Letters B, Editorial Board, 1988-present
International Journal of Modern Physics B, Editorial Board, 1988-present