ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

He had $364 dollars to his name and was desperate to find a role in his beloved world of physics.

Weeks earlier, Professor Rozenfeld had tried to gain a job at ANSTO, where he could build on his work in nuclear and radiation physics. He had only been in Australia for a few days and decided to knock on the door of ANSTO’s nuclear reactor site in Lucas Heights, in southern Sydney. It was December 25^th.

“There was no one there except a security guard and I told him I was there for a job. I did not realise it was Christmas Day and that this was a big celebration in Australia. The security guard rang a few people and told them there was a very strange man there with a Russian accent, but they decided to let me go,” Professor Rozenfeld says with a laugh. 

He saw an announcement for a three-year lecture position in UOW’s then Department of Physics, in the Faculty of Science, to develop an education and research program in medical physics. Professor Rozenfeld was chosen for the role, after strong competition from other applications.

Nuclear and radiation physics was his background, but his interest was piqued by the field of medical radiation physics.

It was a memorable day when met Professor Peter Fisher, Head of the Department of Physics and dedicated researcher into semiconductor physics, “with whom it was a privilege to start my academic career in Australia”, he said.

“On completion of my three-year contract at UOW, I walked into the office of the Vice-Chancellor at the time, [Professor] Gerard Sutton, and asked him to give me a continuing job. I told him my background and what I achieved during the contract and my vision for future development of medical radiation physics, and I really liked the University and would like to work here,” he recalls.

“I even offered to work for free for six months to demonstrate him what I could do further, but he would not let me do that. He gave me a continuation of the job on the spot, and I started work that day.”

Professor Sutton provided Professor Rozenfeld with an office and a salary – and the time and space to continue develop medical radiation physics at UOW.

“I had also strong support from Professor Peter Robinson, who was Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research at that time.”

It was an immense relief for Professor Rozenfeld, an extraordinary researcher who had already spent many years in his native Ukraine working in the field of nuclear and radiation physics, including at Chernobyl in the aftermath of the nuclear disaster.

Building medical physics from the ground up

At UOW, Professor Rozenfeld gave himself three years to develop the medical physics program. He thought it should sit within the engineering faculty, rather than traditional science, as it would give the researchers the opportunity to engage in more practical tasks and applications.

“I had an amazing education in Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University in one of the best physics school. Physics education was the best at the time in the USSR,” he says.

“When I came to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, I had been working in research and business for many years at the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv, Ukraine where I have got strong experience in radiation physics and semiconductor radiation detectors development with their application in fundamental and applied nuclear physics. I knew how to translate research and how to develop ideas. I saw the potential of medical radiation physics.”

Over the past 32 years, Professor Rozenfeld has become integral to the fabric of UOW. He is a familiar figure on campus, a kind, welcoming, hardworking researcher and educator who has quietly built one of the most prestigious medical radiation physics research institutions in the world.

^{Professor Rozenfeld in his earlier days at UOW. Photo: Paul Jones}

The Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, which is this year celebrating its 25^th anniversary, has become world-renowned for its groundbreaking research into and development of semiconductor detectors and dosimeters for clinical applications in radiation therapy, nuclear medicine and radiation protection as well as in space and high energy physics applications.

“Initially, I established the Radiation Physics Group in 1994. We received our first National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant in 1996, and by 2000, the University elevated us to a centre,” said Professor Rozenfeld, who has since secured more than $18 million in external funding.

Creating a research powerhouse

From the early days with just two PhD students and two academics, Professor Rozenfeld, as Director and Founder, now heads a research team of 18 academics and research fellows, more than 25 honorary and adjunct staff and more than 50 research students.

Together, they have pioneered remarkable research over the past quarter century. Central to CMRP’s ethos has been making cancer treatment safer and more effective, including through the groundbreaking development of MOSkin^TM, a radiation detector developed for accurate dosimetry of cancer patients treated with radiation therapy.

The Centre’s contributions extend beyond medical radiation physics into space technology. As one of six partners in Australia’s National Space Qualification Network, CMRP collaborates with NASA and the European Space Agency to test space electronics under extreme space radiation conditions.

It also plays an active role in Australia’s space program, including in space medicine to address safety astronauts during the space missions, contributing to initiatives such as the .

It is clear, however, that the driving force behind CMRP is its people. Professor Rozenfeld continues to return to the subject of his colleagues, many of whom have relocated to Australia to work at the University, and the remarkable alumni who have gone on to make their mark in research and clinical settings.

^{Professor Rozenfeld at the launch of MOSkin in 2019. Photo: Paul Jones}

His former PhD students can be found across the United States, Europe, Asia, and in the Middle East, at some of the most prestigious institutions, hospitals, academia, government agencies and medical device industries, including at leading proton therapy centres at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Miami Cancer Centre , Seattle Proton Therapy Centre at University of Washington; MedAustron, Austria; European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, France ; NASA, US; and in Australia, the Peter McCallum Cancer Centre, ANSTO, CSIRO and Cochlear Australia.

The Centre stands as a shining example of how a vibrant culture and visionary leadership can propel careers to new heights. Under the guidance of Professor Rozenfeld, a collaborative spirit has flourished, allowing renowned researchers, such as , , , , and to build remarkable careers with true impact.

But the Centre's influence doesn't stop there. Even years after completing their studies, many alumni remain deeply connected, continuing to nurture relationships that speak volumes about the enduring bonds forged within its walls.

“I am good at seeing what the person can do, at seeing their potential. I love to encourage people in their research and to see them achieve amazing things,” Professor Rozenfeld says.

A vision for UOW

One of the concepts that Professor Rozenfeld continues to return to is vision. It has been in the back of his mind as UOW celebrates its 50^th anniversary. The University, he says, was built on the vision of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ as a place of knowledge. It is a special place that reflects the strength of its research, its teaching, and most importantly, it’s people.

Professor Rozenfeld had a vision for what medical radiation physics could look like at UOW. And, more than three decades later, that vision has not dimmed.

^{Professor Anatoly Rozenfeld with his MOSkin device. Photo: Michael Gray}

The future lies, Professor Rozenfeld believes, in ensuring that UOW maintains its world-class teaching and uses its remarkable research to strengthen ties with industry and make a tangible difference to people’s lives.

Indeed, Professor Rozenfeld shows no sign of slowing down on this front.

“Our future is in partnership with industry, in research and their commercialisation in start-ups. The University is very good at moving fast in a new direction. We have a beautiful location and such great people. We have grown up so much in the past 50 years and we need to work together for the next 50 years.”