Robert Alan Terwilliger, M.A.

Web: http://www.brainphysics.com/robert
Email: [email protected]

Research Interests

Current research involves computer modeling of magnetic fields associated with the cerebral microvasculature. Research interests include functional MRI, applied parallel computing, computational biology, and biomedical imaging, and teaching methods. Prior work has included solid state and gaseous x-ray detection, digital mammography, and radio frequency and microwave antenna design for controlled thermonuclear fusion.

Education

• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, Brain Mapping Division, Los Angeles, CA
  Ph.D. Candidate in Biomedical Physics, expected March 2001. Completed oral and written qualifying examinations.
  Dissertation: "Towards a Quantitative Method for Measuring the Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) Effect." Chair: M. Cohen.

• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, Radiology Department, Los Angeles, CA
  Master of Science in Biomedical Physics, Awarded March 1997.
  Thesis: "Detectability of Microcalcifications as a Function of Receptor Factors in Screen/Film Mammography by Objective Analysis and Observer Performance." Chair: C. Kimme-Smith.
  
  UCLA Coursework: Parallel Programming, Physics of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Principles of Medical Imaging, Computed Tomography, Physics and Chemistry of Nuclear Medicine, Physics of Diagnostic Radiology, Radiologic Functional Anatomy, Statistics, Radiobiology, Applied Health Physics, Digital Techniques in Radiological Sciences, Physics of Radiation Therapy, Radiation Dosimetry, Breast Imaging Physics and Instrumentation, Laboratories in Nuclear Medicine, Diagnostic Physics, Radiation Therapy. Clinics in Radiation Therapy, Diagnostic Physics and Nuclear Medicine.

• MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Cambridge, MA
  Bachelor of Science in Physics, February 1992.
  Undergraduate Thesis: "A Study of Density Fluctuations in High Beta Poloidal Plasma in the Versator II Tokamak." Chairs: M. Porkolab, B. Coppi.
  
  MIT Coursework includes: Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Experimental Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Statistical Mechanics, Circuits and Electronics, Special Relativity, Plasma Physics, Real Analysis, Complex Variables.

Employment History

• JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY, Physics Department, Harrisonburg, VA
  Visiting Assistant Professor (September 2000 - May 2001): Teaching undergraduate introductory physics.

• UCLA MEDICAL CENTER, Communication Services, Los Angeles, CA
  IT Developer/Consultant (June 1999 - August 2000): Web site development and optimization, Perl programming, system setup and configuration.

• UCLA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, Brain Mapping Division, Los Angeles, CA
  Laboratory Instructor (January 1999 - April 1999): Instructed physics undergraduate students in optics, electromagnetism, and laser laboratory experiments.
  Graduate Student Researcher (September 1996 - June 1998): fMRI research. Monte Carlo programming for proton diffusion in nonuniform magnetic fields using PARSEC parallel simulation language on the IBM SP2 multicomputer.
  Staff Research Associate (July 1996 - September 1996): Macintosh application programming to process and display fMRI images of the human brain, maintained and upgraded laboratory computer systems, web site development and administration.

• BRENTWOOD BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, VA Hosp. CURE Clinic, Los Angeles, CA
  Systems Manager (August 1998 - April 1999): Implemented Microsoft Access-based database for management of pharmacological trials of treatments for digestive diseases. Statistical analysis of diagnostic methodologies. Beta-tested clinic software, instructed medical staff in software use, developed project budgets, managed computer systems.

• UCLA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, Radiological Sciences, Los Angeles, CA
  Research Assistant (June 1994 - June 1996): Mammographic research, breast imaging, computed radiography research, acceptance testing and quality control of various mammographic units. Radiological Diagnostic Oncology Group (RDOG) quality assurance and database management. Student member, American Association of Physicists in Medicine, peer reviewer for AAPM Medical Physics journal.
  Teaching Assistant (September 1994 - December 1994): Taught medical physics graduate students C programming language and UNIX operating system, prepared and graded assignments, tutored students.

• THERMOTREX CORPORATION, Medical Imaging, San Diego, CA
  Medical Physicist Intern (June 1994 - October 1995): Performed research involving x-ray spectroscopy and measurements of detective quantum efficiency. Prepared and maintained comprehensive scientific literature database for digital mammography and related topics.

• HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Radiology, Boston, MA
  Biomedical Engineer (July 1991 - August 1993): Designed and implemented a kinestatic charge detector, a scanning ion chamber for use in digital radiography. Performed electric fields calculations to simulate charge collection in the chamber. Supervised and trained undergraduate research assistants.

• HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL, Beth Israel Hospital, Pulmonary Medicine, Boston, MA
  Computer Systems Manager (April 1993 - September 1993): Designed and implemented computerized data acquisition system for sleep apnea studies. Implemented frame processing system to acquire video data for fluoroscopy and endoscopy studies of the soft palate and upper airway in sleep apnea subjects. Instructed laboratory personnel in use of data acquisition software.

• MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Plasma Physics Lab, Cambridge, MA
  Undergraduate Research Assistant (July 1989 - December 1990): Designed and implemented an experiment to study the electromagnetic waves from a Faraday-shielded radio frequency antenna for the Alcator C-MOD tokamak experiment.

• MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Nutrition Research Lab, Cambridge, MA
  Undergraduate Research Assistant (June 1988 - February 1989): Studied the effects of excess lysine ingestion for FDA approval of a salt substitute.

Technical Proficiencies

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Console operation of GE Signa functional MRI Unit.
• Mammography Units: Quality assurance testing of the following manufacturers: GE, LORAD, Siemens. Measurement of half value layer (HVL), peak kilovoltage (kVp), linearity of x-ray tube output, average glandular dose, focal spot sizes using line pair phantoms, slit and pinhole cameras, step wedges, light sensitometry, daylight and darkroom film processors. Research using LORAD Digital Spot Mammography (DSM) system. State of California Certification for Mammographic X-Ray and Quality Assurance Testing (Reg.# MQA-0087) 1995-9.
• Other Medical Equipment: Laboratory experience with CT, Fluoroscopy, Cineangiography, Ultrasound, Computed Radiography (CR), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Experience with linear accelerators and Co-60 units for radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery, as well as ion chambers for radiation dosimetry.
• Scientific Equipment: Computerized data acquisition and control devices, motion control devices, x-ray and gamma-ray spectroscopy, electronic test equipment.
• Plasma Fusion Devices: Alcator C-Mod Tokamak, Versator II Tokamak.
• Computer Experience: Windows, Macintosh, DEC Alpha, Sun, IBM SP2, Cray, others. Programming skills include C, Perl, Macintosh application programming BASIC, UNIX shell programming. Parallel programming languages include Maisie/PARSEC, MPI. Applications include Microsoft Access, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Network experience includes FTP, TCP/IP, Telnet, HTML, CGI Programming, JavaScript.

Scholarships and Grants

• Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center Grant, 1999.
• NIH/UCLA Biomedical Physics Graduate Program Dissertation Year Fellowship, 1998-1999.
• Professor Jack E. Tohtz Annual Scholarship, 1998.
• State of Calif. Dept. of Health Services Alzheimer's Disease Program Grant, 1996-1998.
• ThermoTrex Corporation Fellowship, 1995-1996.
• National Institutes of Health Training Grant, 1995-1996.
• DuPont Corporation Mammographic Research Grant, 1994-1995.
• National Institutes of Health Training Grant, 1993-1994.
• Mass. Dept. Public Health Breast Cancer Research Initiative Grant, 1993.
• Whitaker Foundation Grant, 1991-1993.

Publications

• Terwilliger RA, "A Mathematical Model of the T2*-based NMR Relaxivity Observed in Functional MRI," Annual Fall Meeting of the Division of Nuclear Physics, Williamsburg, Virginia, October 4 - 7, 2000 (Abstract in Submission).
• Terwilliger RA, "Detectability of Microcalcifications as a Function of Receptor Factors in Screen/Film Mammography by Objective Analysis and Observer Performance." UCLA M.S. Thesis, 1996.
• Terwilliger RA, Kimme-Smith CM, DeBruhl N, Bassett L, "Visibility of microcalcifications as a function of quantum mottle in screen/film mammography." Radiology, November 1995 (Abstract and Poster).
• Kimme-Smith CM, Terwilliger RA, Bassett L, "Pre-clinical visual tests of whole breast digital mammograms." Medical Physics, July 1995 (Abstract).
• Kimme-Smith CM, Haus A, Terwilliger RA, Bassett L, "Ambient light versus lightbox luminance in mammography viewing conditions." Medical Physics, July 1995 (Abstract).
• Terwilliger RA and Kimme-Smith CM, "Quantitative analysis of the detectability of microcalcifications as a function of quantum mottle in screen/film mammography." Medical Physics, July 1995 (Abstract and Poster).
• Wagenaar DJ and Terwilliger RA, "Effects of induced charge in the kinestatic charge detector." Medical Physics 22(5), 627-634, May 1995 (Journal Article).
• Terwilliger RA and Wagenaar DJ, "Signal formation and charge collection in the kinestatic charge detector." SPIE Biomedical Optics, Los Angeles, CA, January 1994 (Conference Proceedings).
• Golovato SN, Porkolab M, Takase Y, LaBombard B, O'Shea P, Reardon J, and Terwilliger RA. "ICRF-edge plasma interaction studies at MIT." Fusion Engineering and Design (18): 273-278, 1990 (Journal Article).

Professional Memberships

• American Physical Society (Student Member)
• American Association of Physicists in Medicine (Southern California Chapter)

Community Service

• SHEPHERD'S GATE FOURSQUARE CHURCH, Culver City, CA
  Active Member (July 1996 - August 2000): Bass guitarist for worship services and Sunday school teacher.

• OC & SPECTRUM DISORDERS ASSOCIATION / OC FOUNDATION, Los Angeles, CA
  Volunteer (April 1997 - August 2000): Responded by phone and email to persons requesting information about obsessive-compulsive and spectrum disorders. Participated in a documentary by the California Alliance for the Mentally Ill about OCD diagnosis and treatment. Numerous media appearances.

• CPCWORLD WORLDWIDE PREGNANCY NETWORK, Dallas, TX
  Consultant (February 1998 - August 2000): Provided information and referrals by email regarding the effects of radiation on the fetus.

• WESTSIDE PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER, Los Angeles, CA
  Supplies Coordinator (March 1996 - October 1997): Coordinated the distribution of baby and maternity equipment to disadvantaged families, assisted clients in the formulation of occupational and educational goals. Developed policies and procedures, managed scheduling, trained volunteers.

Personal

United States citizen, born in Santiago, Chile. Lived in South America, Central America, Caribbean. Enjoy travel and camping, and have also traveled throughout US, Canada, Germany, Italy. Accomplished musician in piano and guitar. Other interests include anthropology and foreign cultures, medical ethics, health and nutrition. Conversant in Spanish, able to read some Russian and German.

References

Available Upon Request