Heather Clark

Senior Associate Dean, School Director and Professor, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering

Heather A. Clark is the Director and Olin Endowed Professor in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, as well as the Senior Associate Dean for Engineering Integration within the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering at Arizona State University. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Her doctoral research focused on pioneering optical PEBBLE nanosensors for chemical analysis within single living cells, under the guidance of Prof. Raoul Kopelman. Following her Ph.D., Clark completed a prestigious NIH NRSA postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Connecticut Health Center’s Center for Cell Analysis & Modeling, working with Prof. Les Loew. 

Prof. Clark joined Draper Laboratory to help build their Biomedical Engineering department and start her independent research career. Draper Laboratory is a nonprofit engineering innovation company focused on the development of advanced technological solutions for national security, space exploration, healthcare, and energy. Known for its expertise in precision navigation, autonomous systems, and biomedical engineering, Draper collaborates with government agencies, commercial clients, and academia to address complex global challenges. The laboratory is dedicated to transforming cutting-edge research into practical, real-world applications, supporting both public and private sector advancements.

Prof. Clark moved back to academia as a Professor in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, where she also served as Vice Chair of the department and Graduate Director for a master’s degree in Biomedical Nanotechnology. She then served as a Full Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and held a joint appointment in the Department of Bioengineering at Northeastern University. During her time at Northeastern, she was the Founding Director of the Institute for Chemical Imaging of Living Systems, where she led innovative research in imaging technologies for biological applications, in addition to building a state-of-the-art core imaging facility. 

She has won numerous awards, including induction into AIMBE, the DARPA Young Faculty Award, and induction into the Rho Chi Honor Society. Her work has been featured in the media including a live interview on CNN, and articles in The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, and WIRED magazine. In her professional service, she contributes as an Associate Editor for ACS Sensors and serves on several advisory boards, including the CWRU Cystic Fibrosis Center and the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics. Additionally, she is a Scientific Advisor for BioMedX, bringing her expertise to various interdisciplinary collaborations in health and engineering. Previously, she played a significant leadership role as Co-chair of the NIH SPARC Steering Committee, contributing to national efforts in advancing bioelectronic medicine.