Dear Colleagues,
I am deeply honored to step into the role of President of Medical Physics for World Benefit (MPWB). As we close out the year, I want to wish everyone a joyful holiday season. May this time bring rest, renewal, and appreciation for the meaningful work we do together. Before looking ahead, I want to take a moment to recognize the outstanding leadership of my predecessors and the dedicated work of the board and volunteers. Their vision and commitment have strengthened MPWB’s global presence, expanded training opportunities, and fostered collaboration across continents. I am grateful to build on these strong foundations as we move into an exciting new chapter. Transitions bring both continuity and opportunity. While MPWB’s mission remains steadfast to harness medical physics expertise for global benefit our strategies evolve with the changing needs of our community and the world. My priority in this new term is to honor the momentum already created while inviting fresh ideas, perspectives, and energy to carry us forward.
At the heart of MPWB are our volunteer driven. In the years past, we have had support from colleagues all over the world, volunteering their time to advance the mission of the organization through education, outreach, mentorship, and global collaborations. As we strengthen our impact, we warmly invite volunteers to join our groups. Whether you are early in your career or a seasoned professional, your time and expertise can help shape the future of medical physics worldwide.
We are also seeking speakers for upcoming webinars, workshops, and training sessions. While many of our past webinars have been directed toward colleagues in low- and middle-income countries, it is time we also turn the spotlight on them. We want to learn from their perspectives whether through presenting research studies, sharing the realities of running a clinic in the modern radiotherapy era, or advancing education and training. Our goal is to balance the conversation by amplifying voices from LMICs alongside those from other regions. If you have insights, experiences, or innovations to share particularly those that can advance equitable access to medical physics knowledge we would be honored to feature your voice. By stepping forward, you contribute directly to our collective vision of advancing patient care through global collaboration.
Finally, this year both current and past MPWB board members attended the IUPESM World Congress in Adelaide, which drew more than 1,200 delegates from around the world. MPWB had the opportunity to host a dedicated session highlighting the organization’s progress and impact to date. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all participants for their engagement and enthusiasm during the session. Following the discussion, productive conversations were held with several regional organizations to explore ways to expand MPWB’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
During the session, I opened with an introduction to the organization and presented a SWOT analysis outlining MPWB’s strengths and weaknesses. The presentation also introduced the 2025 MPWB Board of Directors :Afua Yorke (USA), President; Tomas Kron (Australia), Past President; Gabriela Stroian (Canada), President-Elect; Monique Van Prooijen (Canada), Secretary/Treasurer; Navid Khaledi (Canada), Director of Communication; and Ghada Aldosary (Saudi Arabia), Director of Fundraising and Engagement and emphasized MPWB’s continued growth through collaboration, member engagement, and global partnerships.
In his presentation, Eduard Gershkevitsh, PhD (Former Director of Fundraising), reflected on the journey of building and sustaining a volunteer-driven organization, highlighting the dedication, teamwork, and strategic planning required for success. He described how setting clear goals, maintaining a strong mission, and establishing solid administrative foundations have enabled MPWB’s meaningful growth through partnerships, educational initiatives, and engagement with colleagues in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). He emphasized that true success lies in helping others grow through collaboration, shared learning, and responsiveness to community needs while recognizing ongoing challenges such as administrative workload, sustaining participation, and securing funding.
Parminder Basran, PhD (Former Director of Communications), underscored the importance of democratizing access to medical physics education and resources worldwide. He highlighted MPWB’s global initiatives to bridge learning gaps, especially in LMICs, by making high-quality training materials freely available. Dr. Basran introduced the MPWB–Cornell Educational Partnership, which is developing interactive AR/VR simulations of linear accelerators and CT scanners to enhance radiation therapy education. The central message “bring tools and technology to the learners, not the learners to the tools and technology” captured the need for accessible, context-appropriate innovation. His presentation also invited collaboration through contributions to the Open Syllabus Project, sharing radiation safety procedures, reviewing online resources, and identifying LMIC partners for evaluating AR/VR tools. Overall, Dr. Basran’s message called for collective action to expand open-access learning and strengthen global capacity in medical physics education.
Finally, Tomas Kron, PhD (Past President), explored how regional collaboration can strengthen the mission of MPWB and similar international organizations. Drawing on MPWB’s expanding global initiatives including an education series that has reached over 1,200 participants from 85 countries and collaborative research projects involving representatives from 21 LMICs Dr. Kron emphasized the growing importance of regional engagement. He discussed how establishing regional chapters or collaborations within similar time zones can enhance coordination, communication, and responsiveness while aligning with MPWB’s global objectives. He identified key challenges for international organizations, including limited coordination among initiatives, inadequate visibility, and the need for greater recognition of volunteer contributions. Proposed solutions included strengthening communication across networks, promoting medical physics within and beyond the profession, sharing resources such as hardware and software, and fostering mentorship in leadership and soft skills. Dr. Kron concluded that although coordination across global efforts remains complex, the opportunities for impact through regional empowerment and global collaboration are vast—reinforcing MPWB’s central role in connecting physicists worldwide to advance equitable access to medical physics education and practice.
Looking Ahead As we navigate this transition, I am excited about what lies ahead for MPWB. With your engagement, we can continue to be a vibrant community of learning, service, and global partnership. I encourage you to join a workgroup, consider speaking at an event, and stay connected as we work together to advance medical physics for world benefit.
With gratitude and optimism,
Afua A. Yorke (Board President)
MPWBs vision is a world with access to effective and safe applications of physics and technology in medicine. Our mission is to support activities which will yield effective and safe use of physics and technologies in medicine through advising, training, demonstrating, and/or participating in medical physics-related activities, especially in low to middle income countries. Please visit our website www.mpwb.org for more details.
