Wu, Shien-Minh, 1924-1992

Shien-Ming Wu was a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsni and the University of Michigan. Shien-Ming Wu, or "Sam" as he was known to his friends and colleagues, was born in Chekiang, China in 1924. Wu graduated from Chiao-Tung University, Shanghai in 1945. Nine years later he came to the United States and earned his master's degree from the Wharton School. Wu then went to the University of Wisconsin where he obtained his doctorate in mechanical engineering in 1962. Following graduation he became a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin and held that position for nearly 30 years. In 1987 he retired at Wisconsin and came to teach and to do research at the University of Michigan. In 1975 he was named a Fulbright professor and traveled to the former Yugoslavia to teach. In 1988, he was again named a Fulbright professor and traveled to the former Soviet Union to teach. In December 1991, Wu became the first recipient of an $100,000 award from the Chiang Industrial Charity Foundation in Hong Kong. The award is given to an "ethnic Chinese"" who has created a unique, new manufacturing technology or invention. Wu donated his prize money to the University of Michigan, to create an endowment for manufacturing engineering students. During his long career he trained 113 doctoral students and wrote over 300 articles for scientific and engineering journals. In addition to Wu's academic career he also developed "the dynamic data system approach." This new way of manufacturing was used to modernize Ford, General Motors and Chrysler as well as other companies around the world. In all, he did consulting work for over thirty major companies. Shien-Ming Wu died on October 28, 1992.