Mark Allen Named Scientific Director of Penn’s Singh Center for Nanotechnology
Mark G. Allen has been named the inaugural scientific director of the Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology. The Singh Center, located on Walnut Street on the eastern edge of Penn's campus, will house state-of-the-art nanotechnology facilities that will enable researchers in the Penn community and the surrounding area to make critical advances in this growing field.
As scientific director of the Singh Center, Allen will oversee the operation of the facilities, which include a 10,000-square-foot cleanroom and a suite of characterization and fabrication laboratories. He will also serve as a polestar for Penn’s research in nanotechnology and related fields.
Allen’s academic appointment will be within the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, though the Singh Center’s work will span Engineering, the School of Arts and Sciences, and beyond. Allen is a Penn alumnus, receiving a B.A. in chemistry and a B.S.E. in chemical engineering and electrical engineering.
Combining insights from the worlds of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, and materials science, Allen is a pioneer in the field of micro-electromechanical systems, or MEMS, and nanofabrication technology. His research allows the creation of structures, sensors and actuators that exploit the unique potential of the small scale. He has published approximately 120 journal articles, holds about 40 patents, and is the co-founder of several spinoff companies, including CardioMEMS and Axion Biosystems.
“The connection between basic research and applied technology is at the heart of the Singh Center’s mission—to be a local, national, and global hub for generating groundbreaking nanotechnology applications,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann. “Mark Allen’s outstanding scholarship, strong industry relationships, and proven leadership abilities are among the many qualities that make him the perfect fit as the Singh Center's inaugural scientific director.”
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