Peng Huanwu

Who was Peng Huanwu?

Peng Huanwu was a renowned theoretical physicist of China, a member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and a leader of Chinese nuclear weaponry projects.

Peng was born in Changchun, Jilin Province, and his ancestral hometown was Macheng County, Hubei Province. After graduating from department of physics of Tsinghua University, Peng continued to pursue his postgraduate degree. After the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in July 1937, he went to teach at Yunnan University. In 1938, Peng was enrolled in foreign study program and went to study at University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and worked with prominent physicist Max Born. Peng obtained his degree in philosophy and science doctorate degree in 1940 and 1945, respectively.

In 1941, recommended by Born, Peng went to do research at Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies in Ireland. From August 1941 to July 1943, Peng cooperated with Walter Heitler and James Hamilton to study cosmic ray, and developed HHP theory. Together with Born, Peng was awarded Macdougall–Brisbane prize by Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1945. He was elected as a member of Royal Irish Academy in 1948.