Health Physics Society national president visits Alcorn

Health Physics Society national president visits Alcorn

President of the national Health Physics Society (HPS), Dr. Darrell Fisher, visited the Alcorn State University Health Physics Program in the Department of Advanced Technologies on February 13, 2014. Department chairperson Dr. Kwabena Agyepong, faculty members Steve Adzanu and Jermiah Billa welcomed Dr. Fisher his spouse and Genie Fisher to the department.

During his visit, Fisher met with students and faculty members to learn about research and educational programs available within the program. Students demonstrated their current research projects and Health Physics Program Director Jermiah Billa gave Fisher a tour of the Radiation Detection and Monitoring Laboratory and the Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory — two research/training oriented laboratories operated by the program. Graduate student Lois Dorsey assisted in organizing activities for the guests.
Alcorn HPS students hosted a welcome reception with support of the Office of the Dean, School of Agriculture, Research, Extension and Applied Sciences (AREAS), in honor of the guests. Dr. Barry Bequette, dean of the School of AREAS, commended Fisher for taking time to visit the Department and presented the guests with Alcorn memorabilia.

Billa shared some facts about Health Physics program and said that the program has extensively developed in the areas of student enrollment and research. He thanked Fisher for his inspirational remarks to the students and expressed gratitude to Bequette, Agyepong, and other faculty members for their immense support.

In his speech, Fisher shared his professional experiences to inspire students. Addressing the audience, he stated, “As a president of the professional society, I do not visit any academic institutions, however, I decided to pay a visit to Alcorn because its outstanding research presentations that gained the attention of the health physics world during 2013 Health Physics Society annual meeting. I am elated to have a chance to come here and witness student activities. I am very impressed with the student’s research and their commitment to learning.”