Bio
Steven Chu is the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Physics and Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology in the Medical School at Stanford University. He has published over 280 papers in atomic and polymer physics, biophysics, biology, batteries, and other energy technologies. He holds 15 patents, and an additional 8 patent disclosures or filings since 2015.
Dr. Chu was the 12th U.S. Secretary of Energy from January 2009 until the end of April 2013. As the first scientist to hold a Cabinet position and the longest serving Energy Secretary, he recruited outstanding scientists and engineers into the Department of Energy. He began several initiatives including ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy), the Energy Innovation Hubs, and was personally tasked by President Obama to assist BP in stopping the Deepwater Horizon oil leak.
Prior to his cabinet post, he was director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he was active in pursuit of alternative and renewable energy technologies, and Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Stanford University, where he helped launch Bio-X, a multi-disciplinary institute combining the physical and biological sciences with medicine and engineering. Previously he was head of the Quantum Electronics Research Department at AT&T Bell Laboratories.
Dr. Chu is the co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to laser cooling and atom trapping, and has received numerous other awards. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Academia Sinica, and is a foreign member of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Korean Academy of Sciences and Technology and the National Academy of Sciences, Belarus. He is the President Elect of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He received an A.B. degree in mathematics and a B.S. degree in physics from the University of Rochester, and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley, as well as 32 honorary degrees.
Academic Appointments
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Professor, Physics
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Professor, Molecular & Cellular Physiology
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Member, Bio-X
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Member, Stanford Neurosciences Institute
Honors & Awards
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Co-winner in Physics, Nobel Prize (1997)
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Pioneer Award, Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics, Duke Univ. (2018)
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Foreign Member, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (2017)
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Richard Ernst Medal, ETH Zurich (2015)
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Robert Fletcher Award, Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth (2015)
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Fellow, National Academy of Inventors (2014)
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Foreign Member, Royal Society (2013)
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George Eastman Medal, University of Rochester (2013)
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Franklin Founder Award, - (2012)
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Alumnus of the Year, University of California-Berkeley (2011)
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Foreign Member, Royal Academy of Engineering (2011)
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Hans Bethe Award, Federation of American Scientists (2011)
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Harold Berger Award, Penn School of Engineering and Applied Science (2011)
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Arthur L. Schawlow Award, Laser Institute of America (2010)
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Honorary Fellow, Institute of Physics (2009)
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Hutchinson Medal for Distinguished Public Service, University of Rochester (2009)
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Honorary Lifetime Member, Optical Society of America (2004)
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Foreign Member, Korean Academy of Sciences and Technology (1998)
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Foreign Member, Chinese Academy of Sciences (1998)
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Member, American Philosophical Society (1998)
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Science for Art Prize, Moët Hennessey-Louis Vuitton (LVMH) (1995)
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Senior Scientist Award, Humboldt Foundation (1995)
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Distinguished Traveling Lecturer, Am. Phys. Soc. Division of Laser Science (1994-1996)
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Academician, Academia Sinica (1994)
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Arthur Schawlow Prize for Laser Science, American Physical Society (1994)
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William Meggers Award for Spectroscopy, Optical Society of America (1994)
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Co-winner, King Faisal International Prize for Science (1993)
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Member, National Academy of Sciences (1993)
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Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1992)
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Fellow, Optical Society of America (1990)
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Richtmyer Memorial Prize Lecturer, Am. Phys. Soc./Am Assoc. Physics Teachers (1990)
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Broida Prize for Laser Spectroscopy, American Physical Society (1987)
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Fellow, American Physical Society (1987)
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Guggenheim Fellowship, John Simon Guggenheim Foundation (1996)
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32 Honorary Degrees, Various universities, colleges and institutions. (till present time)
Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations
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Member, Siemens Science Innovation and Technology Council (2015 - Present)
Professional Education
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Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Physics (1976)
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B.S., University of Rochester, Physics (1970)
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A.B., University of Rochester, Mathematics (1970)