Residence China Fields Meteorology, Geology Education Harvard University | Name Coching Chu Nationality Chinese | |
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Born March 7, 1890
Shangyu, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China ( 1890-03-07 ) Institutions National Southeast University
National Chekiang University
Academia Sinica
Chinese Academy of Sciences Alma mater University of Illinois (BSc)
Harvard University (PhD) Thesis A New Classification of Typhoons of the Far East (1924) Died February 7, 1974, Beijing, China | ||
Coching Chu or Zhu Kezhen (simplified Chinese: 竺可桢; traditional Chinese: 竺可楨; pinyin: Zhú Kězhēn; Wade–Giles: Chu K'o-chen; 7 March 1890 – 7 February 1974) was a prominent Chinese meteorologist, geologist and educator.
Born in Shangyu, Zhejiang, Chu went to United States for further education in 1910. He graduated from College of Agriculture, University of Illinois in 1913. Five years later, he received a Ph.D. in meteorology from Harvard University. From 1920 to 1929, he was chairperson of Department of Meteorology, Nanjing University (from Nanking Higher Normal School to National Southeastern University to National Central University). From 1929 to 1936 he served as director of Chinese Institute of Meteorology, Academia Sinica (predecessor to Chinese Academy of Sciences of PRC on mainland China and Academia Sinica of ROC on Taiwan). From 1936 to 1949, he served as president of National Chekiang University (now Zhejiang University) and elevated it to one of the best universities in China. He was assigned vice president of Chinese Academy of Sciences on 16 October 1949. In 1955, he was elected academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences.