Global Medical Physics

Jacob (Jake) Van Dyk is Professor Emeritus of Oncology and Medical Biophysics at Western University, London, Ontario, Canada, and former Manager of Physics and Engineering at the London Regional Cancer Program (LRCP). He has more than 40 years of experience in the practicalfacets of radiation oncology physics, with 24 years at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) in Toronto and 15 years at the LRCP. With a leave-of-absence in 1974-1975, he worked as the acting head of physics at the Centre de Radiotherapy, Hopital Cantonal de Geneve, in Geneva, Switzerland. From 2009 to 2011, he was employed as a professional expert and consultant at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria. His research has yielded over 200 publications along with four unique volumes of The Modern Technology of Radiation Oncology: A Compendium for Medical Physicists and Radiation Oncologists. He also published True Tales of Medical Physics: Insights into a Life-Saving Specialty, a book giving a wide range of perspectives on medical physics to a broader, non-scientific audience. He has lectured in over 41 countries. He was the main founder of Medical Physics for World Benefit (www.mpwb.org), an organization devoted to supporting medical physics activities, largely by training and mentoring, especially for lower-income settings. He is the recipient of multiple awards including:

* The William D. Coolidge Gold Medal (2022), the highest award given by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) "recognizing an eminent career in Medical Physics."

* The International Day of Medical Physics (IDMP) Award (2019) for "promoting medical physics to a larger audience and highlighting the contributions medical physicists make for patient care." Awarded by the International Organization for Medical Physics.

* Honorary Doctor of Science (honoris causa) degree granted at Western University's MD Convocation, London, Ontario, Canada (2014) "for advancing the field of medical physics, specifically, the safe use of therapeutic radiation for the treatment of cancer. In so doing, he has touched the lives of millions of people in Canada and around the world."

* Selected by the International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP) as one out of 50 medical physicists "who have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of medical physics over the last 50 years." This recognition was given as part of IOMP's 50th anniversary in 2013.

* Awarded the inaugural Fellow of the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (FCOMP) in 2013 in recognition of "his significant contribution to the organization and to the field of Medical Physics in Canada."

* Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP) Gold Medal (2013). This is the highest honour that COMP bestows on one of its members in recognition of an outstanding career as a medical physicist who has worked mainly in Canada.

* Elected Fellow of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of Medical Physics (1997).