Ronaldo Minniti (Fed)

Dr. Ronaldo Minniti joined the Radiation Physics Division in December 1999. He has experience performing radiation dosimetry measurements with high accuracy for a broad range of applications that make use of x-rays and gamma-rays (radiation beam irradiators, computed tomography, body scanners, x-ray inspections systems, etc...). Within the Dosimetry Group at NIST he is the lead scientist for maintaining and dissemination the national standard for air kerma from cesium-137 and cobalt-60 gamma ray beams.

Dr. Minniti disseminates within the U.S. the air kerma and absorbed dose to water standards from gamma-ray beams and performs radiation measurements for calibration facilities and secondary standard laboratories across the country to help ensure that dose measurements made by users are traceable to the national standard to ensure the safety of patients, radiation workers and the public. These include users in the medical field, radiation protection, homeland security, U.S. Navy, Army and Air force, DOE laboratories, instrument manufacturers, industry and academia. He performs proficiency tests (blind tests) and measurements for laboratories that are seeking accreditation through agencies such as the American Association of Physics in Medicine (AAPM), National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP), Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP), and others. At the international level he performs measurement comparisons with National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) around the world to ensure harmonization of international standards.

Dr. Minniti’ s accomplishments include: the design and construction of a new therapy level cobalt-60 gamma-ray irradiator with an original designed data acquisition and control system for metrology and dosimetry standard applications. The design of two new cesium-137 gamma-ray beam irradiation facilities at NIST. The design and construction of three ionization chambers used for primary standard dosimetric measurements in gamma-ray and high energy x-ray beams. The design and construction of a safety system for the use of gamma-ray beam irradiators. Dr. Minniti conducted radiation measurements in support of a police investigation conducted by the National Bureau of Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) for which he shared an award in 2002 for this work with four other NIST staff members. In 2005, he performed radiation measurements in support of the test of various radiation detector instruments in support of the development of document standards published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and for the department of Homeland Security. This work was cited in the Science Daily News http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/04/050421210615.htm. Dr. Minniti was awarded in 2013 the Department of Commerce Bronze medal for helping ensure the safety of radiation workers and the public through the design and operation of a radiation dosimetry calibration program and in 2019 he was awarded, together with another team member, the JUDSON C. FRENCH Award for improvements made to the design of a radiotherapy 60Co irradiator used for reference dosimetry.

Before joining the Radiation Physics Division at NIST he was awarded a National Research Council (NRC) Post-Doctoral fellowship in the Atomic Physics Division were he helped expand the Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT) program to include the study of materials bombarded by highly charged ions using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM). Dr. Minniti earned a Ph.D. in Physics at The University of Tennessee. He performed his doctoral thesis work at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory 7.0 MV EN-Tandem Van de Graaff Accelerator Facility where he investigated the emission of electrons from the interaction of ions with solid surfaces. He was a certified operator of the ORNL Van de Graaff Accelerator. He has experience teaching at the high school and undergraduate level. He is currently a member of the: American Association of Physics in Medicine, Health Physics Society, and the American Physics Society. He collaborates with scientists at other agencies and institutions and has publications in peer reviewed journals.