Hans M. Mark (United States) – Honorary Member Citation
Hans Mark immigrated to the US in 1940, did his B.A. at Berkeley in 1951 and then his PhD at MIT in 1954, both in Physics. Dr. Mark remained at MIT as acting Head of the Neutron Research Group returning in 1958 as a research physicist, including the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory. After academic appointments, Hans shifted his focus to national aeronautics and space development. He became director of the Ames Research Center in 1969, broadening the center’s influence within NASA and the aerospace community that earned him a seat in mission control during Apollo 11’s moon landing. Dr. Mark’s other public service is extensive, including Secretary of the Air Force where he had great influence on organizations concerned with the development and operation of space systems. President Reagan appointed Mark as Deputy Administrator of NASA in the early 1980’s, and in 1998 President Clinton appointed him as Director of Defense Research and Engineering. Never leaving his academic roots, Hans remained active in teaching from 1952 serving Boston U, MIT, Berkeley, UC Davis, and Stanford. Upon leaving NASA in 1984, Dr. Mark served as Chancellor of the University of Texas System until 1992, assuming the McKetta Centennial Chair in Aerospace and Engineering Mechanics at Austin. A member of the National Academy of Engineering and recently named Chancellor Emeritus of the UT System, the Omega Alpha Board of Directors is delighted and honored to welcome Professor Mark to Honorary Membership in the International Honor Society for Systems Engineering.