David Dick
About
I started my college career double majoring in music performance (I played the tuba) and business. I switched to physics at the end of my sophomore year. I believe it is important to get a broad education and not narrow in on a field as soon as you get to college (or even earlier!).
I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in physics at Western Washington University and my Ph.D. in medical physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Upon receiving my doctorate, I started my position as the Head of Cyclotron Physics for the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford. I held this position for almost 7 years. I am now at the University of Iowa, where I am a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology, as well as the Chief of Radionuclide Production and PET Radiochemistry.
In my free time I play basketball, do high performance driving events in my MINI Cooper and practice Taekwondo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
SPS Alumni Information
SPS Chapter: Western Washington University
David Dick is available for student engagement in the following categories: mentoring, in-person speaker, virtual speaker, tour opportunities, job shadowing. Send a request using this form .
Alum Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Education Level: PhD
Disciplines: medical
Job Sector: academia
Recent position: Clinical Associate Professor, University of Iowa
Job Description: I oversee the facility that produces positron-emitting radiopharmaceuticals, which are used for the diagnosis and monitoring of various diseases including cancer, Alzheimers, and heart disease. The facility uses a cyclotron to produce the positron-emitting radionuclides, which are then transferred to automated synthesis modules for incorporating the radionuclides into drugs. We have a full suite of quality control equipment to ensure safety and efficacy of the manufactured drugs. These radionuclides have short half-lives, so they are manufactured daily. I also have a research lab where I develop production methods for new radionuclides as well as develop new drugs to target various diseases.
Alumni Website: https://medicine.uiowa.edu/radiology/profile/david-dick