Min Enze (; 4 February 1924 – 7 March 2016) was a Chinese chemical engineer and chemist. He was an expert in petrochemical catalysis, and an academician of the

Chinese Academy of Sciences The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); ), known by Academia Sinica in English until the 1980s, is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for natural sciences. It has historical origins in the Academia Sinica during the Repub ...

(CAS) and the

Chinese Academy of Engineering The Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE, ) is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for engineering. It was established in 1994 and is an institution of the State Council of China. The CAE and the Chinese Academy of Sciences ...

(CAE).

Biography

Min was born in

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), alternatively romanized as Chengtu, is a sub-provincial city which serves as the capital of the Chinese provin ...

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of th ...

, China. He graduated from

National Central University National Central University (NCU, ; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ''Kwet-li̍p Chung-yong Thài-ho̍k'', Wade–Giles: ''Kuo2 Li4 Chung Yang Ta4 Hsüeh2'' or ''中大'', ''Chung-ta'') is a public research university with long-standing traditions based in Taiw ...

(

Nanjing University Nanjing University (NJU; ) is a national public research university in Nanjing, Jiangsu. It is a member of C9 League and a Class A Double First Class University designated by the Chinese central government. NJU has two main campuses: the Xianli ...

) in 1946, majoring in chemical engineering. In 1951, Min obtained his doctor's degree from

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best pu ...

in the United States. He worked for

National Aluminate Corporation Nalco Water, an Ecolab Company, is an American Naperville, Illinois-based supplier of water, energy and air improvement solutions and services for industrial and institutional markets, owned by Ecolab. The company sells various products and servi ...

between 1951 and 1955. He returned to China in August 1955 after the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...

ended and was assigned work at Beijing Institute of Oil Refining (now Institute of Petrochemical Science of

China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (中国石油化工股份有限公司) or Sinopec (), is a Chinese oil and gas enterprise based in Beijing. It is listed in Hong Kong and also trades in Shanghai. Sinopec Limited's parent, Sinopec G ...

). Min was elected an academician of CAS in 1980, a member of

Third World Academy of Sciences The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) is a merit-based science academy established for developing countries, uniting 1,000 scientists in some 70 countries. Its principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable deve ...

(TWAS) in 1993, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 1994. He served as the chairman of academic committee of the Institute of Petrochemical Science of China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (

Sinopec China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (中国石油化工股份有限公司) or Sinopec (), is a Chinese oil and Natural gas, gas enterprise based in Beijing. It is listed in Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hong Kong and also trades in Shanghai ...

). Min received the

Highest Science and Technology Award The Highest Science and Technology Award () also known as the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, State Supreme Science and Technology Award, or China's Nobel Prize is the highest scientific award issued by the President of the PRC to ...

in 2007, the most prestigious scientific prize awarded in China. Min died on 7 March 2016 at the age of 92 in Beijing.

Asteroid An asteroid is a minor planet of the Solar System#Inner solar system, inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic o ...

30991 Minenze 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many socie ...

is named in his honor.

Sources

Min EnzeChemistry World

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Min, Enze 1924 births 2016 deaths Chemists from Sichuan Chinese chemical engineers Engineers from Sichuan Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering National Central University alumni Nanjing University alumni Ohio State University alumni People from Chengdu TWAS fellows