Richard Skalak (February 5, 1923 – August 17, 1997) was an American pioneer in

biomedical engineering Biomedical engineering (BME) or medical engineering is the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes (e.g., diagnostic or therapeutic). BME is also traditionally logical sciences ...

. He is known for his groundbreaking work in the mechanics of blood flow, bone growth, white blood cell response to infections, and biological implications and responses to implants.Skalak, T.C. (1999
''A Dedication in Memoriam of Dr. Richard Skalak''
Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering 1, 1-18.''Richard Skalak, Bioengineer 74''
The Record of

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

23(2), 1997. He won numerous significant scientific honors over his career, including election to the National Academy of Engineering in 1988.Hilchey, T. (1997
''Richard Skalak, 74, Pioneer In Bioengineering, Is Dead''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

.Chien, S. (2001
''Richard Skalak''
Memorial Tributes of the National Academy of Engineering 9, 254-259. He is the namesake of the

ASME The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...

br>Richard Skalak Award

Awards and honors

*Chair

Applied Mechanics Division The Applied Mechanics Division (AMD) is a division in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The AMD was founded in 1927, with Stephen Timoshenko being the first chair. The current AMD membership is over 5000, out of about 90,000 mem ...

, 1979 *

Theodore von Karman Medal The Theodore von Karman Medal in Engineering Mechanics is awarded annually to an individual in recognition of his distinguished achievement in engineering mechanics, applicable to any branch of civil engineering. This award was established and endo ...

, 1987 *

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of ...

, 1988 *

Ted Belytschko Applied Mechanics Award The Applied Mechanics Award is an award given annually by the Applied Mechanics Division of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) "to an outstanding individual for significant contributions in the practice of engineering mechanics; contri ...

, 1997 *Poiseuille Medal of the International Society of Biorheology *Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers *Fellow, American Academy of Mechanics *Fellow,

American Society of Civil Engineers American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

*Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine *Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science

References

1923 births 1997 deaths American bioengineers American Presbyterians Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science alumni Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science faculty 20th-century American engineers {{US-engineer-stub