Margaret May-som Shaw Wu (born June 28, 1950) is a Taiwanese–American industrial chemist and inventor. As a research chemist at ExxonMobil, Wu developed new lubricants for car engines. She was elected Fellow of the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2020.
Margaret May-som Shaw Wu | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 28, 1950 |
| Alma mater | National Taipei University of Technology University of Rochester |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Mobil American Cyanamid |
| Thesis | Photochemistry of cycloalkylacetones (1976) |
Early life and education edit
Wu was born in Taipei, Taiwan.[1][2] Her father was a meteorologist.[2] She earned her bachelor's degree in chemical engineering at the National Taipei University of Technology.[citation needed] She moved to the United States for her doctoral research, and joined the department of chemistry at the University of Rochester.[3] She has said that New York City represents the best parts of America. Her friends helped her to overcome language barriers.[2] After earning her doctorate, Wu joined American Cyanamid where she spent a year as a research chemist.[4][5]
Research and career edit
In 1977 Wu joined Mobil,[5] where she worked on polymer synthesis, catalysis and zeolite chemistry.[4] She developed new strategies to produce ethylene from methanol at high yields.[4] A few years later, she switched her focus to synthetic oils.[4] These fluids were used in automotive engine oil, reducing wear and helping fuel economy.[4] She started working on polyalpha-olefin (PAOs),[6] which were used in synthetic lubricants. The PAOs had no undesirable side chains, and had more desirable properties as a lubricant. Her efforts were recognized by the American Chemical Society, who named her their 2007 Industrial Chemist of the Year.[4][7][8] She was the first woman to be made a Senior Scientific Advisor at ExxonMobil.[9]
Wu retired in 2009 and remained as a consultant until 2016.[2] She was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2019,[10] and the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2020.[11]
References edit
- ^ "First in Taiwan, Margaret Wu elected inductee of NIHF – National Taipei University of Technology". www-en.ntut.edu.tw. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "10 Things You Need to Know About Margaret Wu" (PDF).
- ^ "Dr. Margaret M. Wu –". Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "Margaret Wu receives industrial chemistry award from national ACS" (PDF). The Indicator. 2007.
- ^ a b "Retired Senior Scientific Advisor at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co".
- ^ "Asian Pacific Heritage Month – Honoring Margaret Wu – Fletcher Yoder". Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ "Margaret Wu Receives 2007 Industrial Chemistry Award from National ACS | North Jersey Section – American Chemical Society". January 1, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ "ACS-Award-Industrial-Chemistry – C&EN". cen.acs.org. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ Benedict, Emilie (April 5, 2019). "Margaret Wu: Breaking barriers". Energy Factor. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ "Taipei Tech Alumna Dr. Margaret M. Wu Elected NAE Member – National Taipei University of Technology". www-en.ntut.edu.tw. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ "Margaret Wu | The National Inventors Hall of Fame". www.invent.org. Retrieved January 2, 2023.