Wu attended the University of Science and Technology of China, where he earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in 2001; the National University of Singapore, where he earned a master degree in electrical and computer engineering in 2003;[2] and the University of Maryland, College Park, receiving a Doctor of Philosophy degree in electrical and computer engineering in 2009.[3][4] While at the University of Maryland, Wu served as president of the local Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) chapter.[5] As CSSA president, Wu campaigned against Tibetan independence and perceived biased content in The Diamondback towards the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.[5] After graduating, Wu worked in the private and public sectors, specializing in data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity and enterprise risk management.[7] During this time, Wu was instrumental in initiating Columbia's sister city agreement with Liyang.