Jefferson Lab Colloquia: Stephen Avery

Speaker: Stephen Avery

Title: Local Innovations to Global Dissemination & Implementation for Care

Abstract: The recent World Health Organization Cancer Report highlights the urgency for collaborations to address the growing cancer numbers - 60% of 18.1 million new cancer cases and 70% of 9.6 million deaths occur per year in low and middle income countries (LMIC). These major disparities in cancer deaths are, in part, a reflection of poignant underlying disparities in radiation oncology. There is a clear opportunity to exploit basic science advances, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and advanced analytical methods to better understand and respond to these public health challenges. Widespread and improved cell phone and data connectivity now provide enhanced research capacity. Real-time data collection with cell phones, including the immediate transfer of images, provides potential to rapidly identify solutions to public health challenges in settings where need is great and current data science capacity is sparse. Implementing methods from science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to resolve critical public health problems in Africa and other LMICs offers advantages both locally and globally.

Biography: Stephen Avery is an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, Avery is chair of the Global Medical Physics Education and Training committee for the International Council of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). He also sits on the Education and Training committee for the African Organization of Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) and serves as a convener for the medical physics working group of the African Strategy for Fundamental and Applied Physics. He has distinguished himself as a leader in mentorship activities for diversity and inclusion initiatives in medical physics. One of his most important accomplishments is the Diversity Recruitment through Education And Mentoring (DREAM) program, a national program sponsored by the AAPM.