Richard Skalak (February 5, 1923 – August 17, 1997) was an American pioneer in biomedical engineering. 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 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.Chien, S. (2001) Richard Skalak, Memorial Tributes of the National Academy of Engineering 9, 254-259. He is the namesake of the ASME Richard Skalak Award.
Awards and honors Chair Applied Mechanics Division, 1979 Theodore von Karman Medal, 1987 National Academy of Engineering, 1988 Ted Belytschko Applied Mechanics Award, 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 Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
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