Retired Affiliate at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United States.
Dr. Stephen Derenzo is a distinguished physicist and senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he has contributed to the fields of nuclear medicine and imaging technology for over five decades. He earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Chicago between 1963 and 1968. Throughout his career, Dr. Derenzo has held various leadership positions, including Head of the Department of Radiotracer Development and Imaging Technology and Professor-in-Residence in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on improving scintillators for positron emission tomography (PET) and the development of advanced imaging systems, leading to significant advancements in medical diagnostics. Dr. Derenzo has received numerous accolades for his work, including the IEEE Fellow Award and several awards from the American Nuclear Society. He has authored over 140 peer-reviewed articles and continues to be an influential figure in his field.
Profile
Scopus Profile
🎓 Education
Dr. Stephen Derenzo earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Physics from the University of Chicago in 1963. He continued his academic journey at the same institution, obtaining his Master of Science (M.S.) in Physics in 1965, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Physics in 1968. This comprehensive education, rooted in a prestigious institution, provided him with a solid foundation in the principles of physics, which he has built upon throughout his distinguished career in nuclear technology and medical diagnostics.
🏥 Experience
Dr. Stephen Derenzo has had an illustrious career in the field of physics and medical technology, marked by significant roles at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the University of California, Berkeley. From 1968 to 1982, he served as a physicist at LBNL, and subsequently became a senior scientist in 1982, a position he holds to this day. He was the Head of the Department of Radiotracer Development and Imaging Technology from 2006 to 2014. In addition to his research roles, Dr. Derenzo has been actively involved in academia as a Professor-in-Residence in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from 1988 to 2013, and previously as a lecturer in the same department from 1979 to 1987. He has also led numerous significant research initiatives as a principal investigator for projects funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy, focusing on advancements in positron emission tomography and scintillator technology. His extensive experience reflects a deep commitment to research and innovation in nuclear medicine and imaging technology.
🔬 Research Interests
Dr. Stephen Derenzo’s research interests encompass a wide range of topics within the fields of physics, nuclear medicine, and imaging technology. He has made significant contributions to the development and optimization of radiotracers and scintillation detectors for positron emission tomography (PET), focusing on improving scintillator materials to enhance imaging capabilities. His work includes the design and implementation of advanced imaging systems and techniques, aimed at increasing the accuracy and efficiency of medical diagnostics. Dr. Derenzo is particularly interested in the exploration of ultra-fast, heavy-atom scintillators and their application in time-of-flight PET, as well as the integration of novel detector technologies into clinical practice. His commitment to advancing the field is evident through his numerous principal investigator roles in federally funded research projects, which aim to push the boundaries of medical imaging and enhance patient care.
🏆 Awards
Dr. Derenzo’s remarkable contributions have garnered numerous awards and honors throughout his career. Among these are the NASA Technical Brief Award in 1973 and the American Nuclear Society’s 1984 Award for Distinguished Achievement by a Team in Nuclear Technology. Additionally, he has received various accolades from the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the IEEE, including the IEEE Fellow Award in 2000, highlighting his significant impact on medical diagnostics and imaging technologies.
📚 Publications Top Notes
- Feynman photon path integral calculations of optical reflection, diffraction, and scattering from conduction electrons
- Journal: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
- Year: 2023
- Citations: 0
- Volume: 1056, Article 168679
- Large active-area superconducting microwire detector array with single-photon sensitivity in the near-infrared
- Journal: Applied Physics Letters
- Year: 2023
- Citations: 4
- Volume: 122(24), Article 243506-1
- Monte Carlo calculations of the extraction of scintillation light from cryogenic N-type GaAs
- Journal: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
- Year: 2022
- Citations: 3
- Volume: 1034, Article 166803
- How silicon and boron dopants govern the cryogenic scintillation properties of N-type GaAs
- Journal: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
- Year: 2021
- Citations: 5
- Volume: 989, Article 164957
- Monte Carlo Calculations of the Detection Efficiency of Composite Scintillator Arrays for Fast and Moderated Neutrons, and for Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy
- Journal: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
- Year: 2020
- Citations: 0
- Volume: 67(6), pp. 888–893, Article 9000644
- Improving timing performance of double-ended readout in TOF-PET detectors
- Journal: Journal of Instrumentation
- Year: 2020
- Citations: 10
- Volume: 15(1), Article P01003
- GaAs as a Bright Cryogenic Scintillator for the Detection of Low-Energy Electron Recoils from MeV/c² Dark Matter
- Journal: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
- Year: 2019
- Citations: 4
- Volume: 66(11), pp. 2333–2337, Article 8865653
- 15 lutetium compounds screened for Ce³⁺ activated scintillation
- Journal: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
- Year: 2018
- Citations: 7
- Volume: 908, pp. 325–332
Conclusion
In conclusion, Dr. Stephen Derenzo is an exemplary candidate for the Best Researcher Award, distinguished by his educational background, extensive research contributions, and numerous accolades. His commitment to advancing nuclear technology and medical diagnostics, coupled with his leadership in the scientific community, positions him as a deserving recipient of this prestigious honor.