Frank Shu

In this Chinese name, the family name is Shu.
Frank Shu
Born
Frank Hsia-San Shu[2]

(1943-06-02)June 2, 1943
Kunming, China
DiedApril 22, 2023(2023-04-22) (aged 79)
NationalityAmerican
EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology (BSc)
Harvard University (PhD)
Known forDensity wave theory
Star formation
AwardsHelen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy
Brouwer Award
Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics
Shaw Prize in Astronomy
Bruce Medal
Scientific career
FieldsAstronomy
InstitutionsStony Brook University
University of California, Berkeley
National Tsing Hua University
University of California, San Diego
City University of Hong Kong
ThesisThe Dynamics and Large-Scale Structure of Spiral Galaxies (1968)
Doctoral advisorChia-Chiao Lin[1]
Other academic advisorsMax Krook
Doctoral studentsFred Adams
Susana Lizano
Eve Ostriker[1]
Frank Shu
Traditional Chinese徐遐生
Simplified Chinese徐遐生
Transcriptions
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationChèuih Hàh Sāng
JyutpingCeoi4 Haa4 Sang1

Frank Hsia-San Shu (Chinese: 徐遐生; Jyutping: Ceoi4 Haa4 Sang1; June 2, 1943 – April 22, 2023) was a Chinese-American astrophysicist, astronomer, and author. He served as a Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley and University of California, San Diego.[3] He is best known for proposing the density wave theory to explain the structure of spiral galaxies, and for describing a model of star formation, where a giant dense molecular cloud collapses to form a star.[4]

Early life and education

Shu's hometown is Wenzhou, Zhejiang, but he was born in Kunming, Yunnan, in 1943.[2][3] His father, Shu Shien-Siu,[5] was a mathematician and an instructor at the National Tsing Hua University, which, at that time due to World War II, was temporarily relocated to Kunming from Beijing. The senior Shu would serve as the President of the National Tsing Hua University from 1970 to 1975.[6] When Shu was two months old, his father went to the United States for study and, later, work. Shu and his family went to Taiwan through Hong Kong when he was five years old, stayed there for a year, and then traveled by steamship to the United States to re-unite with the senior Shu, who was working at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago.[3]

Shu completed his BSc in physics in 1963 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).[7] While at MIT, he worked one summer for Chia-Chiao Lin on the structure of spiral galaxies, and the experience made him interested in astrophysics. He later continued working with Lin for his PhD project, as Max Krook, his formal doctoral supervisor at Harvard University, gave him freedom in his PhD research.[3] He obtained his PhD from Harvard in 1968.[7]

Over his PhD study, he built on his undergraduate work and, together with Lin, proposed the density wave theory and published several articles explaining the structure of spiral galaxies.[8][9]

Career

After his PhD, Shu joined the Stony Brook University as an assistant professor, and was promoted to associate professor in 1971.[7] He moved to the University of California, Berkeley in 1973,[2] and became a full professor in 1976. He had a brief visit at the Institute for Advanced Study in 1982.[10] Between 1984 and 1988, he was the chair, or Head, of the Department of Astronomy.[11]

From 1994 to 1996, Shu was also the President of the American Astronomical Society (AAS).[12]

Shu was named a University Professor of the University of California (UC) system in 1998, an honour that at the time was only endowed to 19 faculty members across the UC system.[13]

In 2002, Shu followed in his father's footsteps and went to Taiwan to take up the position of the President of the National Tsing Hua University,[5][14] returning to the United States and joining the University of California, San Diego as a distinguished professor in 2006.[7]

Shu officially retired in 2009, becoming a University Professor Emeritus of the UC system,[3] and a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (until 2015).[7]

Latterly, Shu was an Emeritus Senior Fellow at the Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study of the City University of Hong Kong.[15]

Shu wrote three textbooks: Physical Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy,[16] The Physics of Astrophysics Vol. I: Radiation[17] and The Physics of Astrophysics Vol. II: Gas Dynamics.[18]

Shu died on April 22, 2023, at the age of 79.[19][20]

Research

Shu is best known for his work in spiral galaxies and star formation. He, together with his PhD supervisor Chia-Chiao Lin, proposed the density wave theory to explain the structure of spiral galaxies.[8][9] In 1977, he published a model, known as the "inside-out" collapse model or the "singular isothermal sphere" model,[4] of star formation, whereby a star forms when a giant dense molecular cloud collapses.[21]

Honors and awards

The main-belt asteroid 18238 Frankshu is named after Shu.[32]

References

  1. ^ a b "Frank Hsia-San Shu". Mathematics Genealogy Project. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "Frank Hsia-San Shu". Sonoma State University. June 24, 2021. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Frank Shu". American Institute of Physics. February 22, 2022. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Frank Shu". Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Normile, Dennis (2002). "Frank Shu Named University Head". Science. 295 (5554): 429. doi:10.1126/science.295.5554.429b. PMID 11799218. S2CID 161236531. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  6. ^ "Shien Siu Shu". Institute for Advanced Study. December 9, 2019. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Shu, Frank". Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Lin, C. C.; Shu, Frank H. (1964). "On the Spiral Structure of Disk Galaxies". The Astrophysical Journal. 140: 646. Bibcode:1964ApJ...140..646L. doi:10.1086/147955. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Lin, C. C.; Shu, Frank H. (1966). "On the Spiral Structure of Disk Galaxies, II. Outline of a Theory of Density Waves". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 55 (2): 229–234. Bibcode:1966PNAS...55..229L. doi:10.1073/pnas.55.2.229. PMC 224127. PMID 16591327.
  10. ^ "Frank Shu". Institute for Advanced Study. December 9, 2019. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  11. ^ "Past Department Chairs". Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  12. ^ "Past Officers and Trustees". American Astronomical Society. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  13. ^ Sanders, Robert. "Frank Shu Named University Professor". University of California, Berkeley. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  14. ^ Cyranoski, David (2002). "Astronomer set to star in Taiwan". Nature. 415 (6869): 250. doi:10.1038/415250b. PMID 11796971. S2CID 42807785.
  15. ^ "Professor Frank Shu". City University of Hong Kong. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  16. ^ Shu, Frank H. (1982). The Physical Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy (PDF). University Science Books. Bibcode:1982phyn.book.....S. ISBN 9780935702057. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  17. ^ Shu, F. H. (1991). The Physics of Astrophysics. Volume 1: Radiation. University Science Books. Bibcode:1991pav..book.....S. ISBN 9781891389764. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  18. ^ Shu, F. H. (1992). The Physics of Astrophysics. Volume II: Gas dynamics. University Science Books. Bibcode:1992pavi.book.....S. ISBN 9781891389672. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  19. ^ "天文學巨擘、中研院士徐遐生逝世 享壽79歲". Liberty Times Net. April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  20. ^ Lu, Kang-chun; Yang, Shu-min; Yang, Evelyn (April 28, 2023). "Academician, former NTHU president Frank Shu dies at 80". Central News Agency. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  21. ^ Shu, F. H. (1977). "Self-similar collapse of isothermal spheres and star formation". Astrophysical Journal. 214: 488–497. Bibcode:1977ApJ...214..488S. doi:10.1086/155274.
  22. ^ "Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy". American Astronomical Society. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  23. ^ "Frank H. Shu". National Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  24. ^ a b "Frank H. S. Shu". Academia Sinica. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  25. ^ "Frank H. Shu". American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  26. ^ "1996 Brouwer Award Winner - Frank H. Shu". Division on Dynamical Astronomy, American Astronomical Society. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  27. ^ "Former AAS President, Frank Shu, awarded Dannie Heineman Prize for 2000" (Press release). San Diego, California: American Institute of Physics. January 8, 2001. Archived from the original on September 20, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2009.
  28. ^ "Dr. Frank H. Shu". American Philosophical Society. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  29. ^ "Shu, Frank Hsia-San". The World Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  30. ^ "Past Centennial Medalists". Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  31. ^ "Frank H Shu". Shaw Prize. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  32. ^ "(18238) Frankshu = 1241 T-2 = 1998 FP142 = T/1241 T-2". Minor Planet Center. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
Academic offices
Preceded by President of the National Tsing Hua University
2002–2006 		Succeeded by