Chi-Chin Wu has been appointed by the Army Research Office, DEVCOM to work as partnership liaison officer at Texas Tech University, where she will help link and align the university’s research enterprise to available funding opportunities with the U.S. government and other agencies.
“Primarily, I will be serving as a bridge between the U.S. Army and Texas Tech, connecting the Texas Tech research community within the various centers and institutes and matching them with U.S. Army needs,” she said in a Tech news release.
Wu’s 12-month appointment began in mid-May, but she has worked with some Texas Tech faculty members, such as Michelle Pantoya, Horn Distinguished Professor & J.W. Wright Regents Chair in Mechanical Engineering, for nearly a decade.
Moving on campus provides her with easier access to and places her within greater proximity of the university’s research enterprise, including a number of projects in the national security space.
Wu has been with the DEVCOM ARL since 2010, originally working with the Computational and Information science Directorate before moving to the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate in 2014. Three years ago, Wu was tabbed as the Northern Asia Regional Director for the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Indo-Pacific at its former International Technology Center in Tokyo.
“We are excited to welcome renowned researcher Dr. Chi-Chin Wu to Texas Tech University,” said Stephen Bayne, vice president of national security for Texas Tech and executive director of the Critical Infrastructure Security Institute. “Her extensive experience with the Army Research Lab and her work in advanced material and energetic systems will strengthen our research capabilities and partnership with the Army Research Office and DEVCOM.”
Texas Tech’s national security emphasis will be the primary area of interest for Wu and her work on campus.
“National security is the umbrella for virtually everything we are doing,” she said. “Obviously, there are major areas such as energetics and other technologies Texas Tech is working in. Texas Tech has already identified many of the technical areas where they want to work, so I will be the liaison with subject-matter experts, professors, post-docs and research centers to see where on the government side they can connect with.”
For the past 10 years, Wu and her DEVCOM colleagues have worked on critical technologies, including high-energy density fuels. She also has expertise in areas such as advanced microscopy, helping bridge the gap between material properties and performance. Her expertise and skill set have led to key technological collaborations with the U.S. government as well as external partners.
Wu holds dual doctorate degrees, in materials science and engineering from the University of Virginia and in chemical engineering from Kansas State University. Since joining ARL, she has received numerous recognitions, including the Civilian Service Achievement Medal from the Department of the Army.
“Dr. Wu’s experience and expertise make her an ideal collaborative partner for Texas Tech researchers,” said Noureddine Abidi, interim vice president for Research & Innovation. “Her assignment is a significant milestone in growing our national security research program, and I look forward to seeing how this partnership redefines what is possible in this research area.”
Wu was born and raised in Taiwan and began her career as a laboratory instructor and teaching assistant after earning her master’s degree in chemical engineering. From there, she became an engineering consultant specializing in waste minimization, process safety and pollution control. She moved into research as a post-doc at Academia Sinica, Taiwan’s national research institution located in Taipei.
“This position is similar to my previous role in some ways, although the audience is different,” she said. “Here at Texas Tech, I will engage with leadership and professors, and I am eager to learn from everyone and their expertise. I see opportunities here for growth, and I feel very honored to serve in this role.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Longtime U.S. Army researcher tapped to help Texas Tech
Reporting by Special for the Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Special for the Avalanche-Journal | USA TODAY Network
