Tell me about your background.
I was born in Atlanta but moved to Lee’s Summit, a suburb of Kansas City, MO, at a fairly young age, so I’d say I am from KC. I started my bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in mechanical engineering but switched to physics in my second year. After my second year, I transferred to Missouri University of Science and Technology where I graduated with a BS in physics. When I’m not lost in my head thinking about physics, I am either spending my time with my wife and our two English bulldogs or I am tinkering on one of my various projects.
What led you to study at Washington University?
While at Missouri University of Science and Technology, I joined a research lab investing in the few-body problem through proton-atom collisions. It was in this lab that I first heard about medical physics. Sometime in my senior year, an email was sent to the physics department at MST from the physics division of radiation oncology at WashU with a flyer detailing a newly developed medical physics master’s program for which I promptly applied. While my goal was always to go the PhD route, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to study medical physics at WashU. By the time I finished my Master’s in medical physics, our department had been given the approval to start a PhD program, so I transitioned into this after completing my MS.
What are your future career goals?
When I finish my PhD in medical physics, my plan is to complete a residency in medical physics and after which begin working as a medical physicist in a radiation oncology clinic. I would particularly enjoy being at a hospital where I am able to teach in some capacity, do research, and work in the clinic. But either way, I am just excited to start working!
What are you working on right now and who are you working with?
I have always thought interdisciplinary studies are vital to the progression of oneself and to the respective fields. For me, the natural complementary field is radiobiology and I was graciously given an opportunity to do my thesis in a radiobiology lab co-mentored by Dr. Michael Altman, and Dr. Stephanie Markovina. With their guidance, I am investigating biological differences between three photon emitting irradiators each with different energy spectrums and dose rates. The reason behind using three irradiators is that two of them are used clinically in the treatment of numerous cancers, but, in particular, are used in the treatment of cervical cancer. The third irradiator is a common, commercially available preclinical (research) irradiator. Our ultimate goal is to establish a working cervical cancer mouse model where in vivo cervical cancer studies can be performed using radiation modalities as that of an actual patient.
My biggest hurdle in my research thus far has been the interdisciplinary aspect of it. As a physicist, learning biology, and all of its nuances, is a proper challenge, but one that has been incredibly rewarding.
Aaron is a member of the Markovina Lab and the Altman Lab.