Awards

Inspiring Greatness

AAHP's distinguished membership honors the extraordinary achievements of active, emeritus and inactive CHPs in health physics.

These exceptional professionals have inspired excellence, serving as role models for future generations while creating a lasting impact in the field.

In the June 2023 CHP Corner, AAHP President Carolyn MacKenzie announced in inaugural class of Distinguished Members:

I am pleased to announce the 2023 Distinguished Member Awardees. This honorary title in AAHP is given with the full privileges of being an active member and a lifetime membership free of annual dues. This is a new award established by the AAHP. The recipients are nominated by a committee of the AAHP current and past two presidents and the ABHP current and past two chairs.

The unanimously agreed upon nominees are then confirmed by the AAHP Executive Committee and the ABHP committee. Nominees are selected based on their outstanding contributions to the AAHP/ABHP and the health physics profession for a period of at least 20 years while maintaining the integrity and ethical standards of our profession as a certified health physicist. They are:

  • Frazier Bronson
  • Dr. George Chabot
  • Dr. Ken Kase
  • Professor Kim Kearfott
  • Kent Lambert
  • Ruth McBurney
  • Kathryn Pryor
  • Dr. Kenneth Skrable
  • Dr. Richard Toohey
  • Dr. Paul Ziemer

Class of 2023

Distinguished Member

Frazier Bronson

Frazier Bronson is the Scientific Director in the Mirion Technologies Product Direction Group. He has a BS in Nuclear Engineering and a MS in Radiological Health. He has spent more than 10 Co-60 half-lives either measuring radioactivity, or designing equipment for others to help them do an even better job of measuring radioactivity. He received his ABHP Certification in 1972. After that he was on the inaugural Continuing Certification committee, has been Chairman of the American Board of Health Physics, and President of the American Academy of Health Physics. He has been honored to receive the Wm McAdams award and the Joyce Davis award.

He is a Fellow member of the Health Physics Society, and a former Director of the ANS Decommissioning Section. He is also quite involved in the Waste Management Symposium, as a previous Co-Chair of Track 3 on IL and LL Waste, the Session Organizer on Waste Characterization, and currently one the 2 PAC Board Representatives to the WM Board. He has long been tolerated by his wife, Helen Wong, their 3 children, and an even dozen grandchildren.

Distinguished Member

Dr. George Chabot

Many thanks to the American Academy of Health Physics for its kind and generous decision to select me for honorary membership as a “Distinguished Member” of the organization. I am presently retired from 30+ years of employment at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) where I was a professor, teaching and carrying out research in the Physics and Radiological Sciences programs and, most appreciatively, with the privilege and pleasure of both past and present close associations with Drs. Ken Skrable and Clay French. I have been active in the HPS as a 54-year member of the national organization, long-term member and past President of the New England Chapter, and 20+ years of participation in the Ask the Experts program of the national HPS, having acted as editor for the Instrumentation and Radiation Basics topic areas for many of those years, a most enjoyable and rewarding experience occasioned by Genevieve Roessler’s initiation of the program and her request that I participate. My receipt of the HPS Founders Award in 2017 was a wonderful highlight during my retirement. I have enjoyed a long association with the AAHP and ABHP; I was certified by the Board in 1970, and recertified over many subsequent years, presently being an Emeritus member.

As an early Chairman of the Education and Certification Committee from the New England Chapter I enjoyed the rewarding experience of organizing several ABHP Certification Examination review courses and presenting numerous topical discussions in the courses. I enjoyed presenting PEP offerings on Preparation for Part 2 of the ABHP Certification Examination at several annual meetings of the HPS. I have had the past opportunity to act as an outside reviewer of Part 2 sections of some proposed ABHP certification exams. I have served as a past Secretary of the AAHP and have been pleased and encouraged to see its continuing success and the ability of it and the ABHP to adopt desirable changes over the years. There is no question that the achievement of certification is a personal and professional advantage to every successful candidate. Over many years of involvement in a wonderfully fulfilling occupation, my greatest enjoyment and satisfaction has come from being able to observe the success of many of our UML students who have gone on to achieve Board certification along with high levels of achievement and responsibility in the profession of Health Physics, including many who have held positions of high responsibility in the Academy and on the Board.

Thank you again to the Academy for this recognition!

Distinguished Member

Kenneth Kase, Ph.D.

Kenneth Kase, Ph.D. served on the Board of Directors of the Health Physics Society (HPS) from 1989-1992 and 2002-2005 and as President of the HPS in 2003-2004. He was a member of the American Board of Health Physics Panel of Examiners from 1971-1974 and 1978-1980, and as Vice-Chairman in 1974. He was a member of the Board of Health Physics from 1981-1985 and Secretary/Treasurer from 1982-1984.

He served on the first Executive Committee of the American Academy of Health Physics in 1986-1987 and as Academy Pres-elect, President and Past Pres. from 1995-1997.

Dr. Kase is Honorary Vice-President of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. He was a member of the Council for 24 years, served as Sr. Vice-President for 9 years and for 12 years as Scientific Vice-President and Chair of Scientific Committee 46 for Operational Radiation Safety. He also was a member of Committee 4 of the International Commission on Radiation Protection from 1997-2001.

Dr. Kase completed his term as President of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) in May 2012. He served as Vice-President from 2004-2008 and chaired the International Congress Program Committee for the 2000 International Congress on Radiation Protection (IRPA 10) in Hiroshima, Japan.

Ken began his career in Health Physics at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CA in 1963 and moved to Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) in 1969. In 1975 he received a PhD from Stanford University and was appointed to the faculty of Radiation Oncology at the Harvard Medical School. He was appointed Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1985. He returned to Stanford in 1992 as head of the Radiation Physics Department and was appointed an Associate Director of SLAC and Director of the Environment, Safety and Health Division in 1995. He retired from that post in 2001 and from SLAC in 2005. He is married to Grady and has two daughters and 6 grandchildren.

Throughout his career Dr. Kase has been active in research activities related to radiation physics and radiation protection, particularly in radiation measurements and the operation of particle accelerators. He has published over 80 papers in peer reviewed journals, co-authored one book and edited 3 others on radiation dosimetry.

He served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) from 1984-1991, and as AAPM Treasurer from 1986-1991. Dr. Kase also has been an associate editor of Health Physics, Medical Physics and Radiation Research.

Distinguished Member

Kimberlee Jane Kearfott, ScD, CHP

Kim Kearfott is a tenured full Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences at University of Michigan. Professor Kearfott received National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator, Society of Nuclear Medicine Tetalman, HPS Elda Anderson, ANS Women's Achievement, ANS Rockwell Lifetime Achievement awards. She is a Fellow of the HPS, and has served on the national board of directors of both the ANS and the HPS. She completed training in the first class of FEMA Radiological Operations Support Specialists (ROSS). Kim Kearfott has more than four decades of research and applied experience in radiation detection and radiological safety. She began her career in reactor safety analysis. She then became known for her early work on internal dose assessments for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and for her designs of clinical PET facilities. She performed pioneering work in radon: discovering and mitigating the highest ever recorded domestic indoor radon air concentration. She has conducted projects in the personnel radiation monitoring, external dosimetry, and internal dose assessment.

Her current research is the design of radiation detection systems for environmental radiation, homeland security, and nuclear weapons verification. Dr. Kearfott maintains an interest in measurement systems of all types, including the detection of conventional explosives. She holds several patents on radiation detection methods and detectors. Dr. Kearfott has supervised 13 postdoctoral, 18 doctoral and 132 master’s projects/ She has supervised 264 undergradaute independent research projects. Efforts with students have resulted in more than 565 publications. An experienced teacher, Prof. Kearfott has presented more than 250 talks, 83 formal undergraduate and graduate courses, and 37 short courses. Her recent efforts are aimed at recruiting promising high school and first year college students into the radiation protection profession.

Distinguished Member

Kent Lambert

Kent Lambert received his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M in Radiation Protection Engineering in 1978 and his master’s degree from Rutgers University in Radiation Sciences in 1987. After becoming ABHP certified in 1990, Dr. Ellen Hochheiser persuaded (or for those who knew her, coerced might be more believable) Kent to fill a vacancy on the ABHP Part I exam panel in 1997. This eventually led to appointment as the panel’s vice chair and chair (2002). Kent was later appointed to the ABHP (2007), where he served as its vice chair, parliamentarian, and chair (2011). Kent received the William McAdam Award in 2013. He was president of the AAHP in 2016. He also served as a “wise person” reviewer of the Part II exam in years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021 and 2022.

Outside of the ABHP/AAHP, Kent co-chaired the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) Working Group on Certifications and Qualifications (2011 – 2016) and the Health Physics Society (HPS) Local Arrangements (Philadelphia 1999), chaired the HPS Rules and Nominating committees, and served on numerous other HPS committees. Mr. Lambert served on the HPS Board (1998-2004) both as director and treasurer and later as parliamentarian (2008-2010). Mr. Lambert was the Ask-The-Expert Topic Editor for Medical and Dental Patient Issues from 2012-2020. He became a fellow member of HPS in 2010. Kent served as president of the Delaware Valley Society for Radiation Safety in two separate terms and received its Meritorious Achievement Award in 2018. Mr. Lambert retired from Drexel University in 2020 as the Director of Regulatory Compliance in the Office of Research with responsibility for the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Institutional Biosafety Committee and as the Radiation Safety Officer. He currently enjoys emeritus status with both the HPS and AAHP.

Distinguished Member

Ruth E. McBurney

Ruth McBurney is the Executive Director of the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD). Prior to taking that position in January 2007, she had 29 years of service in radiation control programs in Texas and Arkansas. Ms. McBurney is currently serving as a Member of Council of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements and is a past President of the Health Physics Society and a past Chair of the American Board of Health Physics. Ms. McBurney holds a Master of Science Degree in Radiation Sciences from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Health Physics.

Distinguished Member

Kathryn H. Pryor, CHP

Kathy Pryor is currently an Emeritus member of the American Academy of Health Physics. She received her BS in Biology in 1979 and MS in Radiological Sciences in 1981, both from the University of Washington, and was certified by the ABHP in 1986. Ms. Pryor served on the Part II Panel of Examiners from 1991 through 1994, the last two years as the Vice Chair and Chair. She also served on the ABHP Board from 1998 to 2002, as Parliamentarian, Secretary, Vice Chair and Chair. Ms. Pryor was the Secretary of the Academy from 1993 to 1996 and President Elect, President and Past President from 2017 through 2020. Ms. Pryor was also awarded the William McAdams Outstanding Service Award by the ABHP in 2007. Ms. Pryor retired from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington in 2018. Ms. Pryor is an Emeritus Fellow of the Health Physics Society (HPS) and served as President-Elect, President, Past President, Secretary and Board member of the HPS from 2003 to 2013. She has been a member of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements since 2010, including a term on the Board of Directors and as Scientific Vice President of Program Area Committee 2 on Operational Radiation Safety.

Distinguished Member

Dr. Kenneth W. Skrable

Education: B.S. from Moravian College in 1958, M.S. from Vanderbilt University (AEC Radiological Health Physics Fellow) in 1964; and PhD from Rutgers, the State University in 1969.

Experience: 1959- 1963: Health Physics Supervisor, Industrial Reactor Laboratories; 1963-1968: Lecturer in Radiation Science and Radiation Safety Officer, Rutgers the State University; 1968-1996: Professor of Radiological Sciences, Lowell Technological Institute and University of Lowell MA, which included development of academic programs and degrees through the PhD, six intensive short courses, including Certification Review for Health Physicists, research, and contracts with government and industry; 1996 - present: consultant to various government organizations and industries; and research.

Memberships: 1959 - present: Health Physics Society; American Academy of Health Physics; and National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, 1994.

Conference Papers: 91

Academic and Professional Publications: 44

Professional honors and awards: Certification in Health Physics,1969; Health Physics Society Fellow, 1986; Chairman of Health Physics Society Ad Hoc Committee on Occupational Radiation Exposure Standards 1983-1984; HPS Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award, 1989; Arthur F. Humm, Jr. Award, 1990; Williams McAdams Outstanding Service Award, 1993; and Robley D. Evans Commemorative Medal, 2002.

Distinguished Member

Dr. Richard E. Toohey, CHP

Dr. Toohey is being honored by AAHP/ABHP with the Distinguished Member award for his long-standing work and significant contributions in the field of health physics. He has always been a beacon in our profession and as a certified health physicist, has upheld the highest standards in the Health Physics profession.

Dr. Toohey received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Cincinnati in 1973, followed by a postdoctoral position at Argonne National Laboratory to improve methods for the detection of inhaled transuranic radionuclides in vivo. Dr. Toohey joined the Health Physics Society in 1975 serving the Society over the course of 40 years, as Local Arrangements Chair, Board member, Secretary, Treasurer, and President. Dr. Toohey joined Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) as director of the Radiation Internal Dose Information Center (RIDIC) and assisted the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center and Training Site (REAC/TS), before retiring. While at ORAU, he was the first Program Manager for the Energy Employee Occupational Illness Compensation program. Dr. Toohey also served as Treasurer of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) and a member of the IRPA Executive Council. Dr.

Distinguished Member

Dr. Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D, CHP

Dr. Paul L. Ziemer is currently Professor Emeritus and former Head of the School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. From August 1990 to January 1993, Dr. Ziemer took a leave of absence from Purdue to accept an appointment by President George H.W. Bush as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environment, Safety, and Health In that position, Dr. Ziemer was responsible for overseeing all radiological, environmental, safety, and health activities for the Department of Energy. In 1993 he returned to Purdue where he served as Head of the School of Health Sciences through the year 2000. At Purdue, Dr. Ziemer was administratively responsible for the teaching and research programs in health physics, industrial hygiene, medical physics, environmental health, and medical technology.

Dr. Ziemer’s career in health physics began after he completed his BS degree in physics from Wheaton College. He was admitted to the Atomic Energy Commission fellowship program at Vanderbilt University where he studied under Drs. Karl Z. Morgan and Elda E. Anderson. This included a health physics internship at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. That led to the opportunity to remain as a health physicist at the Oak Ridge X-10 facility. Following that, he continued graduate studies and completed his Ph.D at Purdue University where he also served as radiation safety officer. He then received a faculty appointment and developed the first health physics graduate courses at Purdue.

Dr. Ziemer is a Certified Health Physicist and was the 1971 winner of the Elda Anderson Award. He has been President of the Health Physics Society and was the first elected President of the American Academy of Health Physics after its formation in 1986. The AAHP designated him as the McAdams Award winner in 2002. He has served as a member of the Board on Radiation Effects Research for the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Ziemer has also served as the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Council for the International Radioecology Laboratory in Ukraine, an organization conducting research in the area around the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant. From 2003 to 2007 he served on the Board of Directors of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, the international institute in Japan that studies radiation effects on the survivors of the atomic bombs. Since 2001, Dr. Ziemer has been a member of the federal Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health. Initially appointed by President George W. Bush as Chair of the Advisory Board, he has continued as a member of this White House appointed Board under Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden.