Steering Committee

Director, Martin S. Weinhous, Ph.D.

Dr. Weinhous was raised about 6 miles west of Hofstra University in Elmont. Upon graduating from Elmont Memorial, he earned a BS in Physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. His PhD in experimental atomic physics was earned at the University of New Hampshire. Subsequently he served as a professor for six years before making a career change into medical physics. The transition took place at the Yale University Hospital/School of Medicine where he stayed on for an additional five years as a Research Associate before being recruited to Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University. In his second year there he became Chief of Radiation Oncology Physics but was again recruited onward to The Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University in Saint Louis. He served in numerous roles and particularly was involved in securing and conducting research under an National Institute of Health research contract to produce 3D radiotherapy treatment planning tools. Once again, he was recruited away, this time to Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia. After several years he was enticed to become the Head of the Section of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology at The Cleveland Clinic. And lastly, he was recruited to The MetroHealth System in Cleveland to help rebuild a radiation oncology department.

Dr. Weinhous became certified by the American Board of Radiology and the American Board of Medical Physics and later served as an examiner for both boards. He also served in many capacities in several scientific societies becoming President of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and 3rd Vice-President of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Dr. Weinhous was awarded the 2011 Edith H. Quimby Lifetime Achievement Award by the AAPM.

He has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles; a dozen peer-reviewed book chapters, proceedings and reports; over 70 peer-reviewed abstracts; and obtained 3 patents. Dr. Weinhous received a DHEW National Teaching Fellowship, is a Fellow of the AAPM and the American College of Medical Physics (ACMP), and was named Teacher of the Year by Radiation Oncology Residents at The Cleveland Clinic. He enthusiastically looks forward to growing the MS in Medical Physics program at Hofstra University.

Co-Director, Ajay Kapur, Ph.D.

Dr. Kapur obtained undergraduate (B.Sc Honors) and graduate degrees (M.Sc) in Physics from St. Stephen's College and the Indian Institute of Technology respectively in India. He subsequently specialized in the field of Medical Physics, obtaining additional graduate degrees from Columbia University (M.S.) and Stanford University (Ph.D). He is currently Director of Medical Physics Research and Education and Associate Director of Medical Physics in the Department of Radiation Medicine at Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine.

Dr. Kapur has professionally focused on therapeutic and diagnostic radiological physics, with prior clinical and R&D experience in academic, industrial and healthcare delivery institutions. His research interests include Monte Carlo Dosimetry, Image guided Radiation Therapy, Proton Therapy and Quality Management in Radiation Medicine. He is certified by the American Board of Radiology in Therapeutic Radiological Physics, has published over sixty peer reviewed papers or abstracts, holds seven patents and has individually contributed towards or directed research activities funded by the National Institute of Health and Department of Energy. He is a recent recipient of a John Laughlin Science Council Award for his paper on Patient Safety presented at the Joint Annual Meeting of the American and Canadian Organizations of Medical Physics.

Harold Hastings, Ph.D.

Dr. Hastings received his undergraduate education at Yale University (BS)  and his graduate education at Princeton University (MA, PhD, National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship).  He has served on the Hofstra Faculty since 1968, most recently as Professor and Chairperson of Physics (2000-2011), and now as Acting Academic Director of the MS in Medical Physics, Professor Emeritus and Senior Research Scientist.

Dr. Hastings is the author of over 100 scientific papers and three monographs including Fractals: A User's Guide for the Natural Sciences (with Dr. George Sugihara) published by Oxford University Press.  He has received grants from the national Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and Department of Energy and served on several supercomputer working groups.

Dr. Hastings is also a co-founder (with Drs. Steven Evans and Scott Roth) and Chief Technical Officer of ImaCor, Inc., manufacturer of ultrasonic imaging systems for critical care, and holds patents in the area of medical ultrasound.