2011 Richard Skalak Award

Richard Skalak (1923–1997) played a leadership role in the formative decades of the discipline of biomedical engineering through his technical contributions in biomechanics, his educational influence on students, and his service to many developing societies and journals. Richard Skalak believed in several central approaches to bioengineering and several central values in working with people. In bioengineering, these were (1) the useful combination of mathematical and computational modeling with experimental results, to better inform the new biological understanding that is derived, and (2) the inclusion of both microscale and macroscale phenomena in understanding complex biological systems. In terms of mentoring students and collaborating with colleagues, these were (1) share ideas freely, (2) listen to the ideas of others and integrate the best into new developments, and (3) show tolerance and respect for others at all times. The awardees certainly exemplify all of these characteristics, and in addition, during his career in...