Mark Nicholas Ziats, ’07

The Clemson University Young Alumni Council (YAC) has recognized Mark Nicholas Ziats of Dexter, MI as one of the 2017 “Roaring 10” – young alumni who have made an impact in business, leadership, community, educational and/or philanthropic endeavors.

Honorees were selected based on their continued efforts to uphold the university’s core values of honesty, integrity and respect and to demonstrate an “ever-loyal” relationship with Clemson University.

Ziats is a resident physician in a combined internal medicine–medical genetics training program at the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Health System. He holds a B.S. in biochemistry from Clemson, an M.D. from Baylor College of Medicine and a Ph.D. in human genetics from the University of Cambridge. Ziats has published more than 20 journal papers and started a biotechnology consulting firm. He co-founded Autism Explained, an organization that produces a podcast to explain scientific findings about autism to a lay audience. He is a long-time volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and has been active on Clemson’s College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences’ Alumni Board. He mentors Clemson students in the Calhoun Honors College and through the Tiger Ties program.

The primary mission of Clemson YAC is to support the goals of the Clemson Alumni Association specifically on matters pertaining to Young Alumni. Clemson YAC exists to connect Young Alumni with the University, assist Young Alumni in the transition from active student to alumnus, facilitate fellowship, personal growth and professional development opportunities for young alumni and formally represent Young Alumni interests to the Clemson Alumni Council. The purpose of these efforts is to affect seminal influence on young alumni so they may continue to be connected and contributing alumni for a better Clemson throughout their lives.