Herman Francis Mark was an Austrian-American chemist regarded for his contributions to the development of polymer science. He was born on May 3, 1895 in Vienna, Austria. Professor Mark wrote more than 600 research papers and some 40 books on polymer chemistry. He was the recipient of scores of medals and honorary degrees. His many awards included the National Medal of Science of the United States, the Humboldt Medal of Germany, the Wolf Prize of Israel, the Legion of Honor of France and the Honor Cross for Arts and Sciences of his native Austria. In 1946, Mark established the Polymer Research Institute at Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, the first research facility in the United States dedicated to polymer research. Mark is also recognized as a pioneer in establishing curriculum and pedagogy for the field of polymer science. He died on April 6, 1992 in Austin, Texas, United States.