CEBAF Center Auditorium / Zoom link
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 per year occur 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 clearly is an opportunity to exploit basic science advancements, artificial intelligence and machine learning and advanced analytical methods to better understand and respond to these public health challenges. Enhanced research capacity with improved and widespread cell phone and data connectivity, with real time data collection, including 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.
Bio: Dr. Avery is an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, Dr. 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 is 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.