Mark W. Kroll

College of Science and Engineering, November 2, 2012

Mark W. Kroll, corporate director of Haemonetics, Taser International, and NewCardio, received his B.S. degree in mathematics (1975), a M.S. (1983) and Ph.D. (1987) in electrical engineering from the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota. With more than 350 patents to his name, Dr. Kroll is one of the most prolific inventors of medical devices in the world. His outstanding contributions to the biomedical device industry are particularly in the area of cardiac rhythm adjustment. He is one of the key inventors of the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD). More than 1 million patients have received sub-pectorial biphasic ICD implants since his invention. He also contributed to the development of electrical CPR assist used in research at the Weil Institute for Critical Care Medicine. This device enhances coronary blood flow by producing muscle contractions induced by intracardiac electrical CPR during ventricular fibrillation. Dr. Kroll was also instrumental in the development of the Taser® - an electronic device used by police to control law offenders. Before retiring in 2005 from St. Jude Medical, he served as chief technology officer and senior vice president. Dr. Kroll has lectured in more than 30 countries, and is co-editor of four books and has written more than 200 papers, book chapters, and abstracts. He was named Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) in 2011. He received the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society’s Career Achievement Award in 2010 (the highest international award in biomedical engineering). He also received Fellow designations from the American College of Cardiology and the Heart Rhythm Society. In addition, Dr. Kroll has been listed annually in Who’s Who in Science and Engineering since 1992. He currently contributes his time and expertise to the University of Minnesota as adjunct professor for the Department of Biomedical Engineering and as a member of the Department of Computer Engineering Industrial Advisory Council.