Shih-Kang Fan

Shih-Kang “Scott” Fan is a Professor of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering at Kansas State University, elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and founder of a microfluidics start-up. He previously served as Distinguished Professor at National Taiwan University and held faculty ranks at National Chiao Tung University.

Education:

• Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, 2003
• M.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, 2001
• B.S. Mechanical Engineering, National Central University, Taiwan, 1996

Fan’s research merges electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) and dielectrophoresis (DEP) into a single electromicrofluidic (EMF) platform that manipulates droplets, cells, and particles without pumps or channels. The technology underpins label-free liquid biopsy, high-throughput cancer diagnostics, and 3-D bioprinting of tumour micro-environments for therapy screening. A parallel thrust harvests electrical energy from liquid motion, offering sustainable power for low-energy devices.

His work spans mechanical engineering, bio-microfluidics, and materials science, producing cross-disciplinary solutions for healthcare, soft robotics, and metamaterials with designer thermal/mechanical properties.

Selected honours:

• Outstanding Research Award, Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (2017)
• TBF Chair in Biotechnology, Taiwan Bio-Development Foundation (2015)
• Young Scholar’s Creativity Award (2014)
• Academia Sinica Junior Investigator Award (2012)
• Ta-You Wu Memorial Award (2011)
• RSC Fellow (2016)
• General Chair, International Conference on Optofluidics 2015 & International Meeting on Electrowetting 2016

He currently serves on the editorial advisory board of Biomicrofluidics and the editorial board of Micromachines, while actively pursuing federal and industry grants to commercialise EMF-based cancer diagnostics and tissue-engineering tools.