Name: Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu and the Saving of the B Reactor
Start: 2026-03-09T18:00:00-07:00
Location: Richland Public Library

Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu and the Saving of the B Reactor
📅 March 9
⏰ 6:00 p.m.
📍 Richland Public Library
🎟️ Admission is free and open to all
Physicist Chien-Shiung Wu played a pivotal, yet often overlooked, role in the early success of the B Reactor during World War II. When the reactor unexpectedly shut down shortly after startup, Wu’s post-graduate research on radioactive xenon helped identify the cause of the problem, now known as xenon poisoning. Her findings provided critical evidence used by Enrico Fermi to confirm both the issue and the solution that allowed the reactor to operate as designed.
This presentation explores Wu’s remarkable life and scientific legacy, shedding light on how her work helped “save” the B Reactor and shaped the history of Hanford and the nuclear age. Attendees will gain insight into the science behind the breakthrough as well as the broader historical context of women’s contributions to nuclear science.
Presenter Bio
Megan Simpson is a public historian and docent with the Manhattan Project National Historical Park (Hanford Unit). A history major specializing in the Manhattan Project and Cold War era, women in science, and the social history of nuclear sites like Hanford, Megan focuses on using individual lives and communities to illuminate larger historical systems—making complex scientific and historical topics accessible and engaging for public audiences.