Physics Residents News and Highlights
Nick Lynch Wins Award at PTCOG NA
November 7, 2025
During this year’s PTCOG NA annual meeting, Nick Lynch, PhD, received an award for the Best Oral Abstract 2025 (Physics). He was recognized during the general assembly for his outstanding work entitled, “A novel delivery method enables ultra-high dose rate treatment for left breast DIBH irradiation within a single breath hold”. Congratulations Nick!
Residents and Medical Students visit Accuray for Treatment Delivery Method Training
August 27, 2025
Accuray’s corporate headquarters in Madison, WI hosted a large group of residents and medical students from the Department of Human Oncology for training and practice on the Cyberknife system, and the TomoTherapy Radixact with the Synchrony motion management system.
The morning was spent discussing the TomoTherapy/Radixact system and included a treatment plan review, hands-on practice, treatment delivery demonstration and a review of images. The afternoon focused on the Cyberknife system and featured a guest lecturer in addition to plan review and hands-on practice as well. There was a specific focus on delivery to targets moving with respiration with the robotic delivery.
Nick, Elissa, and Carolyn present at the ITPT Symposium
June 4-5, 2025
https://cancer.wisc.edu/research/resources/itpt/symposium-2025/
UW Carbone’s Inaugural Theranostics and Particle Therapy Symposium was held June 4-5, 2025. The event brought together experts in dosimetry, radiopharmaceuticals, and theranostics. Three of our physics residents presented posters during the event; Elissa Khoudary, Carolyn Eckrich, and Nicholas Lynch.
- Lynch, C. Cheng, X. Zhao, Z. Wei, H. Lin, B. Morris, C. Glide-Hurst, B. Durkee, C. B. Simone II, M. Kang. “Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Multiple Brain Metastases Using Proton Bragg peak Conformal FLASH Therapy”
- Khoudary, M. Lawless, A. Besemer, “Computational Validation of the Torch Radiopharmaceutical Treatment Planning Software for Tumor Dosimetry Calculations”
- Eckrich, A. Besemer, J. Floberg, B. Bednarz, M. Lawless. “Impact of contouring method on bone marrow using 3D dose quantification in patients treated with 177Lu-PSMA-617.”
Jennie Crosby named the 2024-2025 Physicist Educator of the Year
May 27, 2025
https://www.humonc.wisc.edu/jennie-crosby-wins-physics-educator-of-the-year/
Each year, the physics and physician residents nominate a physicist who has gone above and beyond to help teach and educate residents. This year, Dr. Jennie Crosby is the well-deserving recipient of the Physicist Educator of the Year award for going above and beyond to support resident education. The residents share: “What stands out the most to us about Jennie is the relaxed environment that she creates and her focus on true understanding. She taught us the ropes of monthly linac QA when we first started, and was always thorough, thoughtful, and willing to stay late to make sure questions are answered and concepts are fully understood. Her dedication means a lot, especially to new residents as we navigate complex materials. Through every project, whether it was ViewRay, TrueBeam QA, commissioning of the new EP linacs, or the shielding rotation, Jennie always made us feel supported and respected.” Congrats, Jennie!
Celebrating Carolyn and Eric’s Residency Graduation
May 27, 2025
The Department of Human Oncology gathered at Steenbock’s On Orchard to celebrate the graduation of Carolyn Eckrich, MS, and Eric Wallat, PhD, from the medical physics residency program. Both were praised for their numerous achievements, and everyone shared heartfelt and humorous memories from the past two years. Eric will be joining the faculty at UW–Madison, where he will help provide clinical coverage at the Johnson Creek site and become a member of the Eastpark brachytherapy team. Carolyn will also be staying at UW to pursue her PhD in the Medical Physics Graduate Program, while continuing part-time clinical work in DHO to remain on the board certification pathway.
