Steven Chu (born February 28, 1948) is an American physicist and former U.S. Secretary of Energy (2009-2013). He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997 for his pioneering work on laser cooling and trapping of atoms. Chu has held professorships at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, and served as director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. His research spans atomic physics, biophysics, and renewable energy. As Energy Secretary, he advanced clean energy technologies and climate change policies. Chu is a prominent figure in science and public policy, advocating for scientific education and sustainability.