Zhu Guangya (; December 25, 1924 – February 26, 2011) was a Chinese nuclear physicist. Zhu Guangya was noted for his dedication to the Chinese nuclear development, and his great devotion for his country. Zhu Guangya graduated from the National Southwest Associated University in 1945; in 1950, he received his Ph.D. from the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

. In 1980, he was elected as a member (academician) of the

Chinese Academy of Sciences The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); ), known by Academia Sinica in English until the 1980s, is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for natural sciences. It has historical origins in the Academia Sinica during the Republi ...

; in 1991, he served as the chairman of the

China Association for Science and Technology The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST; ) is a mass organization of Chinese scientists and engineers, which is composed of multiple national professional societies and hundreds of branches at various local and international level ...

. In 1994, he was selected as one of the first academicians of the

Chinese Academy of Engineering The Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE, ) is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for engineering. It was established in 1994 and is an institution of the State Council of China. The CAE and the Chinese Academy of Sciences ...

, and served as the first President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. In May 1996, he was elected as the honorary chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology; in January 1999, he was appointed as the director of the Science and Technology Committee of the People's Liberation Army General Armament Department. In the early days, Zhu Guangya was mainly engaged in teaching and scientific research in nuclear physics and atomic energy technology; in the late 1950s, he was in charge of and organized and led the research, design, manufacture and testing of China's atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs. Zhu participated in and led the formulation and implementation of the national high-tech research and development plan, and the research on national defense science and technology development strategies. He organized and led the research on the sustainable development of China's nuclear weapons technology under the conditions of the nuclear test ban, the research on arms control and the research on the development strategy of weapons and equipment, and made significant contributions to the development of China's nuclear science and technology and national defense science and technology.

Biography

Zhu Guangya was born in December 25th, 1924 in Yichang, Hubei province. He received his early education in Hubei, and later moved to Sichuan province with his family, due to the outbreak of the Second World War. Young Guangya developed his interests in physics during high school in

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of t ...

, and he got accepted to the Physics Department at the National Central University (nowadays the

Nanjing University Nanjing University (NJU; ) is a national public research university in Nanjing, Jiangsu. It is a member of C9 League and a Class A Double First Class University designated by the Chinese central government. NJU has two main campuses: the Xian ...

) in 1941. One year later, he transferred to National Southwestern Associated University where he continued his study in physical science, and graduated in 1945. After graduation, Zhu stayed at the University and became a lecturer. In 1946, Zhu became a graduate student at the University of Michigan, where he later obtained his doctoral degree in physics in 1949. He returned to China in the spring of 1950. After 1957, he was involved in nuclear reactor research. Together with

Deng Jiaxian Deng Jiaxian (; June 25, 1924 – July 29, 1986) was a Chinese nuclear physicist and academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He was a leading organizer and key contributor to the Chinese nuclear weapon programs. Biography Deng was ...

and others, Zhu led the development of China's atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb program. In 1994 when

(CAE) was founded, he served as the first president. In 1999, he received an achievement medal in recognition of his contribution to China's Two Bombs, One Satellite projects. Zhu was an alternate member of 9th and 10th Central Committees of the

Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Ci ...

(CCP), and a full member of 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Central Committees of CCP. Zhu died on February 26, 2011 at the age of 86."Prominent nuclear physicist behind China's atom bomb dies"
. 26 February 2011.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhu, Guangya 1924 births 2011 deaths Chinese nuclear physicists Chinese Communist Party politicians from Hubei Educators from Hubei Jilin University faculty Members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Chongqing Nankai Secondary School alumni National Southwestern Associated University alumni Peking University faculty People's Republic of China politicians from Hubei Physicists from Hubei Politicians from Wuhan Vice Chairpersons of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts alumni Chinese expatriates in the United States University of Michigan alumni