8/8/2022 Julia Park
Written by Julia Park
The Transducer Research Foundation announced this year the new Mark Shannon Grand Challenges Award in honor of the contributions of the late MechSE professor.
The inaugural award, presented in June at the “Hilton Head Workshop 2022: A Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Workshop,” recognizes the long-term contributions of members of the technical community with a vision to address humanity’s pressing issues.
Mark A. Shannon (1955-2012) earned his BS, MS, and PhD degrees at the University of California, Berkeley, and served on the MechSE faculty of the University of Illinois.
Throughout his career, Shannon greatly advanced nanoscale, microscale, and mesoscale science and technologies that address real-world problems. His research developed new micro- and nano-fabrication methods that utilize electric fields, plasmas, and chemistry. He also created new NEMS, MEMS, and mesoscale energetic devices and water purification systems.
Shannon was the co-inventor of a gate that is able to move and filter materials at the molecular level. The molecular gate—which is critical to the work of both NSF centers—may one day be used in devices that diagnose and treat illnesses, infections, and contaminations. He also co-developed a fluidic chip that uses molecular gates to separate, manipulate, and analyze minute amounts of specified molecular compounds, such as toxins and proteins, from blood, saliva, and natural water. He made it his mission to bring attention to the impending problems associated with the world’s highly vulnerable freshwater resources.
TRF wrote: “A pillar of our Hilton Head community, his international reputation and passion for his work was evident whether he was teaching students or testifying before Congress, and his energy and tenacity attracted others from around the world to share his vision and work to solve society's problems. By his side always was his wife Mona – the first and only love of his life – including at numerous Hilton Head meetings where she warmly created community. For those lucky enough to work with or know him, Shannon was best known for an unbridled enthusiasm for life, dedication and love for his family, and devotion to his students, even while gravely ill with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.”
The inaugural winner was Dr. Leslie A. Field of Bright Ice Initiative, Inc.; SmallTech Consulting, LLC; and Stanford University.