Dr. Mark Hersam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University . His research interests include single molecule devices, nanofabrication, scanning probe microscopy and spectroscopy, semiconductor surfaces, and carbon nanotubes. Dr. Hersam has received several awards including a Beckman Young Investigator Award, an NSF CAREER Award, an ARO Young Investigator Award, an ONR Young Investigator Award, and a Sloan Research Fellowship. Dr. Hersam earned his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois in 1996 and 2000 respectively. He also earned a M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge in 1997 under the support of a British Marshall Scholarship. Dr. Hersam has authored 45 peer reviewed publications and has given 90 invited presentations at professional meetings and university colloquia.