Rockville Science Cafe: "Bananas, Superheroes, and Radiation"

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMldOuuqT8tG9AXVOQn0hyf4hUKTlLZelKo#/registration

Have you ever heard of any superheroes from comic books or movies that got their powers from radiation? What is radiation and why does it matter in everyday life? It turns out that ionizing radiation, the kind of radiation that can do damage to DNA, can have some big effects on our health. That’s why radiation can be a powerful tool when it comes to treating cancer. Medical physicists working in radiation therapy make sure that radiation is delivered safely and effectively to target tumor cells. And while medical physicists don’t work with radioactive spiders or big green hulking heroes, they do perform a very important job to make sure that patients get the care they need. Dr. Jessica Fagerstrom is a medical physicist who is passionate and committed to treating cancer patients with the highest quality healthcare. Dr. Fagerstrom's work ensures that radiation is delivered safely and effectively to patients. She is board certified through the American Board of Radiology and is an active member of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine.  She earned her Ph.D. in medical physics at the University of Wisconsin, and a Master’s degree in education in science education curriculum and instruction through the University of Washington.