is an independent consultant in radiological sciences and health physics. He is an Adjunct Faculty member at Vanderbilt University in the Department of Environmental Engineering and the Texas A&M University in the Department of Nuclear Engineering. He was previously an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He earned his BS in radiological health physics from Lowell Technological Institute in 1974. In 1976, he earned an MS in radiological sciences and protection from the University of Lowell under a U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration Scholarship. Dr. Ryan received the PhD in 1982 from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he was recently inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Alumni. He is a recipient of the Francis Cabot Lowell Distinguished Alumni for Arts and Sciences Award for the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Dr. Ryan is Editor In Chief of Health Physics. In 1989, he received the Health Physics Society (HPS) Elda E. Anderson Award, which is awarded each year to the one young member who has demonstrated excellence in research, discovery, and/or significant contribution to the field of health physics. Dr. Ryan has held numerous offices in HPS, including President of the Environmental Section and the Savannah River Chapter. Dr. Ryan served on the Technical Advisory Radiation Control Council for the State of South Carolina for 19 y. He is a member of NCRP. He has served as Scientific Vice President for Radioactive and Mixed Waste Management and Chair of Scientific Committee 87 and a member of the Board of Directors. Dr. Ryan is certified in the comprehensive practice of health physics by the American Board of Health Physics. In additional to his adjunct appointment at Texas A&M University, Dr. Ryan has taught radiation protection courses on the undergraduate and graduate level at the University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston. In addition, Dr. Ryan has authored and coauthored many refereed articles and publications in the areas of environmental radiation assessment, radiation dosimetry, and regulatory compliance for radioactive materials.

Dr. Ryan is active in his consultancy with a number of national corporations and government agencies. This work generally involves radioactive waste management, radiological health and regulatory compliance for workplace and environmental issues. He most recently served for several years on the independent review panel for decommissioning wok at Brookhaven National Laboratories. He completed a 9 y term as Chairman of the External Advisory Board for Radiation Protection at Sandia National Laboratories in 2007. He is a member of a similar external review board for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He completed 8 y of service on the Scientific Review Group appointed by the Assistant Secretary of Energy to review the ongoing research in health effects at the former weapons complex sites in the Southern Urals. He has also served on several committees of the National Academy of Sciences producing reports regarding radioactive waste management topics. He also served as Chairman for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste and Materials. Dr. Ryan has served on Committee since 2002 until it was merged with the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) in 2008. In June, 2008, Dr. Ryan became a member of the ACRS.

Prior to his appointment at MUSC, Dr. Ryan was served as Vice President of Barnwell Operations for Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc., and had overall responsibility for operation of the low-level radioactive waste disposal and service facilities in Barnwell, South Carolina. Dr. Ryan’s area of responsibility included management of a scientific, technical, and support staff; and implementation of the scientific programs to assure the safe and compliant operation of the company’s low-level radioactive waste processing and disposal facilities. These programs included facility operations and implementation of policy and procedures for operation, environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance. Prior to this assignment Dr. Ryan served since 1988 as the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, having responsibility for developing and implementing the company’s regulatory compliance policies and programs to comply with state and federal regulators. Before joining Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc., as Director of the Environmental and Dosimetry Laboratory in 1983, Dr. Ryan spent 7 y in environmental health physics at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.