Born: 1950, Inverness, Scotland
Present position: Senior Health Physicist, Department
of Health and Human Services, Tasmania
Why I became interested in physics
I always enjoyed mathematics and physics at school. I considered medicine
as a career but I felt it was not scientific enough. Then I heard about
medical physics and decided that was worth pursuing.
What is my current work?
I work for the Tasmanian Government, in the Department of Health and
Human Services and head a small team of health physicists. We are involved
in regulating the use of radiation in areas such as medicine, industry
and research, to ensure that radiation is used safely. Our work covers
all aspects of radiation measurement and control, whether the radiation
is from radioactive materials or is produced electrically e.g. in X-ray
units or lasers. In particular, health physicists advise on radiation protection
and on health effects of radiation exposure. As part of the job, health
physicists visit many interesting sites where radiation is used and meet
a wide variety of people. On rare occasions, as in the photograph, a health
physicist may travel by helicopter.
Future prospects for health physicists
Use of radiation - whether from radioactive materials or from electrical
devices - is prevalent worldwide. A lot is known about the health effects
of radiation and radioactive materials but there is still much to learn.
Public awareness of radiation issues is also increasing. Common topics
include nuclear power and its future, mobile phones, the consequences of
radiation accidents and the future of radioactive waste disposal. Thus,
there will be a continued need for health physicists to ensure that current
uses of radiation are safely controlled and to contribute to future developments.
In Australia, the radiation protection scene is dynamic. Recently, the Commonwealth introduced radiation protection legislation and set up a new Agency – the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency. Many people working in radiation protection are not employed by the Government. You can find out more about the Australian scene from the Australasian Radiation Protection Society (http://www.arl.gov.au/arps/).
My career path components
After obtaining a BSc (Hons) in physics and teaching in West Africa
for a year with Voluntary Service Overseas, I worked as a medical physicist
in a radiotherapy department in Glasgow for about two years. Promotion
prospects were bleak without a higher degree. I changed fields a little
- to environmental physics, but still with a radiation theme - to obtain
a PhD. A research fellowship and contract university positions followed.
Ten years ago, I started work as a health physicist with the Department
of Health and Human Services in Hobart and was appointed as Senior Health
Physicist in 1992. This work allows me to continue extending my knowledge
and understanding of health and environmental effects of radiation and
radioactive materials.