Elmhurst University to present talk by radiation expert for Women’s History Month

An expert in the field will lecture on “Nuclear Accidents, Disasters and the Future” at 4 p.m. March 8 at Elmhurst University.

Gayle Woloschak is a professor of radiation oncology and radiology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, where her research is focused on radiobiology and bionanotechnology, according to a news release. She also leads Northwestern’s Radiation Tissue Archives. Believed to be the world’s largest collection of irradiated animal tissue samples, the archives aid investigators from around the world who are researching the effects of radiation.

Woloschak’s presentation is this year’s Genevieve Staudt Intercultural Lecture. Her leadership as a woman in STEM connects her to the purpose of the Staudt Lecture, which is given annually as part of Elmhurst University’s celebration of Women’s History Month.

The mission of the Radiation Tissue Archives is to collect and disseminate tissues and datasets from experiments sponsored by the U.S. government over more than four decades, beginning in the 1950s. The tissue samples have been exposed to various doses and qualities of radiation, dose rates and conditions of radiation, with sections available upon request to investigators. In addition to sharing data and materials with the radiobiological community, Woloschak’s group investigates the archive, as well.

The lecture will be presented in the Frick Center Founders Lounge, 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst (elmhurst.edu/campusmap). Admission is free, but reservations are encouraged by visiting elmhurst.edu/cultural. For information, email marketing@elmhurst.edu.