School of Health Sciences

On October 27, 2011, the School of Health Sciences had the great pleasure of adding Dr. Richard J. Vetter, Ph.D. to the list of John Christian Distinguished Alumni in Health Sciences.  This is the highest honor awarded by the School of Health Sciences and was established in 1988.  The award is made possible by an endowment in honor of John E. Christian, Hovde Distinguished Service Professor of Bionucleonics and Health Sciences at Purdue.  Christian was the first head of the Health Sciences School.  He came to Purdue as a research fellow in 1940 and retired from the University in 1988.   Over the past ten years, Dr. Vetter has served the School of Health Sciences in many leadership roles.  As a founding member of the School of Health Sciences Advisory Board, Dr. Vetter provided his insight and expertise to help guide the school’s strategic direction.  Dr. Vetter took on leadership of this group, serving as Chair of the Board from 2004-2010 before transitioning out of those responsibilities to pursue other activities with the Health Physics Society among many other commitments.  His leadership and wisdom have been integral in mentoring graduate students, faculty, and the past three Department Heads of the School of Health Sciences.  Currently, he is working part-time for the Health Physics Society (HPS), as the HPS agency and congressional liaison.

As Dr. Vetter’s time on the School of Health Sciences Advisory Board concludes, we thank him for all hi shard work and dedication.  Additionally, we congratulate him as the 2011 John Christian Distinguished Alumnus in Health Sciences.

Health Sciences 2011 Distinguished Alumnus

Richard J. Vetter, Ph. D.
B.S. South Dakota State University, 1966
M. S. South Dakota State University, 1968
Ph.D. Purdue University, 1970

After obtaining his Ph.D. Degree in Bionucleonics, Richard Vetter served as Assistant Professor of Biology at Point Park College in Pittsburgh for one year before returning to Purdue University to continue his academic career as an Assistant Professor of Bionucleonics.  He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1975 and then to Professor of Health Physics in 1979.

Dr. Vetter joined the Mayo Clinic staff in 1980 as the Assistant Radiation Safety Officer. Shortly after joining the Mayo Clinic he also was appointed a Professor of Biophysics in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and as a consultant to the Division of Preventative and Occupational Medicine.  In 1983 he was appointed as the Radiation Safety Officer and in 1990 became the Head of the Safety Section of the Mayo Foundation which later evolved into the Medical Director for Safety of the Mayo Clinic.  He held those positions until his retirement in 2010.  During his tenure at the Mayo Clinic he also was active on a number of institutional committees such as the Radiation Safety Committee, Radioactive Drug Research Committee, Hospital Accreditation Committee, and the Environmental Health, Safety, and Security Coordinating Committee.  His teaching duties were Radiobiology in the Radiography Training Program and Radiological Health and Medical Health Physics in the College of Medicine.

In addition to his distinguished career in administration of environmental health and safety programs in a clinical setting, Dr. Vetter has an outstanding record of publications. Among early research areas were microwave dosimetry, metabolism and distribution of radionuclides, heavy metal effects in biological systems, and radioactive waste incineration.  He has authored or co-authored over 60 peer reviewed articles and has a number of books and book chapters.  Most notable of these are a number of National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement guidance documents:  Maintaining Radiation Protection Records, NCRP Report No. 114, 1992, Management of Radionuclide Therapy Patients, NCRP Report No. 155, 2006, and Population Monitoring and Radionuclide Decorporation Following a Nuclear or Radiological Event, NCRP Report No. 166, 2010.  He has over 100 presentations at various scientific and professional meetings and numerous additional technical reports, abstracts and other articles. 

Dr. Vetter also has an outstanding record of involvement in professional society activities and service.  He has been active in local health physics chapters serving as President of both the Hoosier and North Central Chapters of the Health Physics Society.  Other local involvement included the Minnesota Advisory Committee on Low-Level Radioactive Waste, Olmstead County Radiological Control Officer, Zumbro Valley Medical Society Environmental Committee, and the Purdue and Mayo Foundation Chapters of Sigma Xi (President).

He has served on numerous committees of the Health Physics Society including the Board of Directors and has served as chairs of the Continuing and General Education Committee, Working Group on Incineration of Low Level Radioactive Waste, Scientific and Public Issues Committee, Awards Committee, and Presidents Emeritus Committee.  Dr. Vetter also was the President- Elect and President of the Health Physics Society (1995-97) and was the Editor -in-Chief of the Health Physics Journal from 1988-1994.  He has served on the editorial board for the Operational Radiation Safety Journal since 1999 and has just concluded his term as President-Elect and President of the American Academy of Health Physics.

Dr. Vetter has been involved in a number of professional societies and has current membership in the American Academy of Health Physics (Diplomat), American Association of Physicists in Medicine (Fellow), American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, Health Physics Society (Fellow), International Radiation Protection Association, Society for Risk Analysis, Society of Nuclear Medicine and the Society of Radiological Protection.  His current activities are highlighted by membership on the National Academies Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board, Delegate to the International Radiation Protection Association, National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, and service as an Advisory Board Member to the Purdue University School of Health Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Health Physics Program, and the Duke University, Medical Physics Program. 

Additionally, he serves as Agency and Congressional Liaison for the Health Physics Society. He also serves as Head of the Mayo Clinic advocates for the prostate cancer research program. Dr. Vetter also has provided public service to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission as a member and vice chair of the Advisory Committee on Medical Uses of Isotopes and to the Environmental Protection Agency as a member of the Radiation Advisory Committee.

Among his honors are the Purdue Student Association Best Teacher, 1979;  Mayo Radiography Program Faculty Award for Best Teacher, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1998; Distinguished Alumnus, School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences, Purdue University, 1987;  Distinguished Alumnus, Department of Biology, South Dakota State University, 1989;  Distinguished Career Award, Mayo Clinic, 2000; Outstanding Physician/Scientist Educator Award, Mayo School of Health-Related Sciences, 2001; Fellow, Health Physics Society, 1997;  Distinguished Alumnus in Professional Development, South Dakota State University, 2002; Founders Award, Health Physics Society, 2003;  John C. Villforth Lecturer, Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, 2009;  Madewell Lecturer, Pennsylvania State University Hershey Medical Center, 2010; Fellow, American Association of Physicists in Medicine, 2010.