THERESA BEBAAKU DERY is a Research Scientist (Medical Physicist) at the Medical Radiation Physics Centre of the Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute (RAMSRI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC). Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana. She has been holding a PhD degree in Physics from the University of Cape Coast since 2018. Dr. Dery undertook 6-months IAEA Fellowship Training in Radiotherapy at C.H.U. Andre Vesale, Charleroi, Belgium from September 2019 to March 2020. She also holds a Master of Philosophy Degree in Medical Phyiscs from the School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS), University of Ghana, Legon. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics Studies from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
In response to her professional output and to motivate her to achieve even more being a young researcher, she received further training in the principles of radiation protection, following her nomination and approval to participate in national, regional and International Atomic Energy Agency training courses, seminars, conferences, and workshops. Her consistent outstanding professional output drew her to more responsibilities. She participates in inspection and conducting of safety assessments on diagnostic and therapeutic medical radiation emitting devices. She became a pivotal member of the National Quality Assurance Audit Network Programme in Radiotherapy and of the National Audit Diagnostic Imaging team. She has also served as a member of the Planning Committee for the Regional Training Course on QUATRO Audits for Medical Physicist, and as a facilitator; during the National Training Course on QUANUM and QUADRIL in 2015; and the Summer School initiative of the Ghana-Norway Project (NORPART) for Medical Physics and Radiography Education, and safety assessment of medical facilities since 2016.
With regards to her scientific achievements within this same period, Dr. Dery was awarded the Taqi Binesh Prize for Best Poster Presentation at the 2014 College on Medical Physics Conference, International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy. She has conducted research in dose verification in treatment planning systems and involved in research in non-ionizing radiation in MRI, for which she has peer-reviewed research articles published in reputable journals to her credit.
In addition to her reward-worthy academic, professional and scientific achievements as an Research Scientist, she also had a telling positive impact on the professional body, Ghana Society for Medical Physics (GSMP), serving as the Assistant Secretary to GSMP; Secretary; to the Planning Committee on International Day of Medical Physics (IDMP) from 2015 to date; to the Symposium Planning Committee in 2015; and to the GSMP Publicity Committee, from January 2016 to date, and the National Delegate of the Federation of African Medical Physicist Organization (FAMPO) from 2021 to date.
Dr. Dery has extended her exploits to academia. As a member of faculty at the Medical Physics Department of the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, the University of Ghana, Dr. Dery’s research interests are centred on radiation dosimetry in diagnostic and radiotherapy. She hopes to contribute to the advancement of Medical Physics with the intent to promote the best medical imaging practices and help work towards becoming a mentor to students and young scientists in the practical application of Medical Physics for good health and the conduct of research. She is an alumnus of Notre Dame Girls Senior High School, Fiapre, Sunyani and enjoys listening to music.