Dr. Stephen Derenzo | Physics and Astronomy | Best Researcher Award
Retired Affiliate, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United States
Stephen E. Derenzo is a distinguished physicist who has made substantial contributions to radiotracer development, imaging technology, and medical diagnostics over his long career. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Chicago and has served as a Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), where he led the Department of Radiotracer Development and Imaging Technology. His academic roles included Professor-in-Residence in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. Derenzo’s research has advanced the field of nuclear medical imaging, particularly in positron emission tomography (PET) and scintillator technology. He has received numerous awards, such as the IEEE Radiation Instrumentation Outstanding Achievement Award, and contributed extensively to scientific societies like IEEE. Beyond his research, he has mentored many young scientists and engineers. Derenzo’s work has left a lasting impact on both the scientific community and medical diagnostics through innovation in imaging technologies.
Education
Stephen E. Derenzo has an impressive academic background, beginning with his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Physics from the University of Chicago in 1963. He continued his studies at the same institution, earning a Master of Science (M.S.) in Physics in 1965, followed by a Ph.D. in Physics in 1968. His education laid the foundation for a distinguished career in radiotracer development, medical imaging, and nuclear science. Throughout his academic journey, Derenzo received several prestigious scholarships and fellowships, including the Illinois State Scholarship, University of Chicago Scholarship, Associated Midwest Universities ANL Fellowship, and the Shell Foundation Fellowship. His rigorous education at one of the world’s leading research universities shaped his expertise and contributions to the fields of medical diagnostics, nuclear instrumentation, and positron emission tomography (PET), eventually leading him to a prominent research and teaching career at the University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Stephen E. Derenzo has had a distinguished career in physics and medical imaging, notably at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the University of California, Berkeley. He served as Senior Scientist at LBNL, where he headed the Department of Radiotracer Development and Imaging Technology from 2006 to 2014. His work spanned over four decades, contributing to advancements in positron emission tomography (PET) and scintillator research for medical diagnostics. Additionally, he held academic positions at UC Berkeley, including Professor-in-Residence in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department from 1988 to 2013. Derenzo led numerous research projects as Principal Investigator for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Institutes of Health, advancing imaging technologies for both medical and security applications. His leadership in professional societies, including serving as Chair of the IEEE Medical Imaging Conference, underscores his deep influence on the field of medical imaging and nuclear technology.
Stephen E. Derenzo’s research interests lie at the intersection of medical imaging, nuclear physics, and materials science, with a particular focus on the development of scintillation materials and radiotracers for imaging technologies. His work has significantly advanced the field of Positron Emission Tomography (PET), contributing to innovations in time-of-flight PET scanners, which enhance image resolution and accuracy in medical diagnostics. Derenzo’s research also extends to the discovery and characterization of new scintillators, materials that emit light when exposed to radiation, which are crucial for improving the sensitivity and performance of imaging systems. Additionally, he has led efforts in developing novel detectors and instrumentation for medical diagnostics, nuclear security, and high-energy physics. His interdisciplinary approach integrates physics, engineering, and computational techniques to push the boundaries of imaging technology, with the aim of improving both medical and security applications through better detection and imaging capabilities.
Stephen E. Derenzo possesses exceptional research skills in the fields of nuclear medical science, imaging technology, and scintillator development. His expertise spans over five decades, focusing on the advancement of positron emission tomography (PET) and radiotracer imaging techniques. As the head of the Radiotracer Development and Imaging Technology Department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, he led groundbreaking research on the discovery of new scintillation materials, improving detection methods for medical diagnostics and homeland security. Derenzo has successfully managed large-scale, multi-disciplinary projects, often working with the U.S. Department of Energy and National Institutes of Health. His ability to integrate physics, engineering, and biomedical sciences reflects his versatile research approach. He is also well-versed in grant writing and project management, having been a principal investigator on numerous federal grants. His scientific acumen is complemented by his strong mentoring skills, as demonstrated by his long-standing professorship at UC Berkeley, guiding students in both theory and practical applications.
Stephen E. Derenzo has received numerous prestigious awards throughout his distinguished career, highlighting his significant contributions to science and technology. In 1984, he was honored by the American Nuclear Society for his team’s advancements in nuclear technology for medical diagnostics. He earned the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) Technology Transfer Excellence Award in 1989 for his work in PET instrumentation, followed by the LBL Environmental, Safety, and Health Award in 1992. His excellence in the field was further recognized with the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society Merit Award in 1992, the IEEE Fellow Award in 2000, and the IEEE Radiation Instrumentation Outstanding Achievement Award in 2001. In 2008, the Department of Homeland Security awarded him for his contributions to domestic nuclear detection. These accolades demonstrate Derenzo’s impact on both the scientific community and society at large, particularly in the fields of medical imaging and nuclear instrumentation.
Stephen E. Derenzo is a remarkable scientist with a prestigious career in medical imaging and radiotracer development. However, given that the Research for Women Researcher Award focuses on contributions to the advancement of women in research, his achievements, while significant, may not fully align with the specific criteria of the award. He would be a better fit for awards recognizing overall research excellence, leadership, and innovation in science and engineering.
Publication Top Notes
- Monte Carlo calculations of cryogenic photodetector readout of scintillating GaAs for dark matter detection
- Author: S.E. Derenzo
- Year: 2024
- Feynman photon path integral calculations of optical reflection, diffraction, and scattering from conduction electrons
- Author: S.E. Derenzo
- Year: 2023
- Citations: 1
- Large active-area superconducting microwire detector array with single-photon sensitivity in the near-infrared
- Authors: J.S. Luskin, E. Schmidt, B. Korzh, S. Derenzo, M.D. Shaw
- Year: 2023
- Citations: 5
- Monte Carlo calculations of the extraction of scintillation light from cryogenic N-type GaAs
- Author: S.E. Derenzo
- Year: 2022
- Citations: 4
- How silicon and boron dopants govern the cryogenic scintillation properties of N-type GaAs
- Authors: S. Derenzo, E. Bourret, C. Frank-Rotsch, S. Hanrahan, M. Garcia-Sciveres
- Year: 2021
- Citations: 6
- Monte Carlo Calculations of the Detection Efficiency of Composite Scintillator Arrays for Fast and Moderated Neutrons, and for Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy
- Authors: S.E. Derenzo, E. Bourret
- Year: 2020
- Improving timing performance of double-ended readout in TOF-PET detectors
- Authors: L. Guo, J. Tian, P. Chen, S.E. Derenzo, W.-S. Choong
- Year: 2020
- Citations: 10
- GaAs as a Bright Cryogenic Scintillator for the Detection of Low-Energy Electron Recoils from MeV/c² Dark Matter
- Authors: S. Vasiukov, F. Chiossi, C. Braggio, E. Bourret, S. Derenzo
- Year: 2019
- Citations: 5
- 15 lutetium compounds screened for Ce³⁺ activated scintillation
- Authors: S.E. Derenzo, G.A. Bizarri, E. Bourret, G. Gundiah, C. Rosen
- Year: 2018
- Citations: 7
- Scintillation of tantalate compounds
- Authors: E.D. Bourret, D.M. Smiadak, R.B. Borade, M.J. Weber, S.E. Derenzo
- Year: 2018
- Citations: 16