Dr. Ying Chu Lin “Susan” Wu, a pioneer for women in aerospace and energy research died at home in Huntsville, Alabama, on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. She did and will continue to inspire many, especially women, who aspire to pursue careers in science and engineering or who choose to challenge the status quo. She overcame numerous challenges in her life and broke ground as a woman in aerospace, making contributions in her field of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), while also teaching and raising a family.
After a long and successful career, Susan decided to honor a childhood vow made watching American bombers fight to free China during World War II. She began a new career in aerospace engineering by starting her own company in 1988. ERC, Incorporated started in her basement with the same values she held in all aspects of her life:
- Do your best to excel.
- Treat others with respect and courtesy.
- Help the people around you.
- Share what you have, even if what you have isn’t much.
Of her many accomplishments, Susan may have been most proud of starting a company that lived and breathed her values and continued what she had learned from her mother. She could see and feel people working and living with those values, and she could see that she was again making a positive difference in the world.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to either of the following organizations.
The Amelia Earhart Fellowship from Zonta International. Susan was the only three-time winner of this fellowship. Her first award in 1958 enabled her to study mechanical engineering at Ohio State University.
The Alzheimer’s Association. This organization promotes research in finding a cure and support for the families and victims of the disease. Susan was diagnosed in 2014 with Alzheimer’s Disease. She worked hard to continue pushing ahead despite the disease, solving Sudoku and word puzzles endlessly to keep her mind sharp.
