“It is a privilege to represent the U.S. Postal Service as we honor the life and achievements of Dr. Chien‑Shiung Wu,” said dedicating official Kristin Seaver, chief retail and delivery officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service. “And, we believe that today, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, is perfect timing for this dedication.”
Seaver was joined for the ceremony by Vincent Yuan, a scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and son of the honoree; Jada Yuan, granddaughter of the honoree; and Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University. The ceremony can be viewed on the Postal Service Facebook and Twitter pages.
“I am elated to have my mother honored by USPS on a postage stamp because I believe it goes beyond recognizing her scientific achievements; it also honors the determination and moral qualities that she embodied,” said Vincent Yuan. “It's even more profound that the recognition comes from America, the country of her naturalization that she loved.”
The stamp art features a detailed portrait of Wu wearing a black-and-white high-collared traditional Chinese gown known as qipao. The illustration was first drawn in graphite, then rendered in egg tempera paint. The background was painted with the pigment lapis lazuli, a highly valued color historically used in artistic depictions of angels, nobility and religious figures.
The spelling of Wu’s name on the stamp reflects how she wrote her own name and referred to herself. It is also how she was known to the scientific community at large. This Romanized spelling of her name is based on the Wade-Giles system, which is all but obsolete for Chinese words and names. The Pinyin system of phonetic notation for Chinese characters is now the standard in both China and the United States.
Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Kam Mak.