Dr. Edward J. Hoffman was a scientist whose early research in medical imaging was instrumental in the creation of the positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, which is used to detect cancers and other diseases. Three things drove Dr. Hoffman’s life and career – his research, mentoring graduate students and postdocs, and working with the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS). Among his many accomplishments was his election as president of NPSS in 2003.
Though Dr. Hoffman died in 2004, his wife of 33 years, Carolyn G. Hoffman, has maintained an interest in NPSS over the years and recently chose to work with the IEEE Foundation to create the IEEE NPSS Edward J. Hoffman Memorial Fund to benefit IEEE's NPSS Medical Imaging community.
Dr. Hoffman was always willing to offer advice and support to young scientists beginning their careers, and he well understood the struggles they faced. To honor her husband’s memory, Mrs. Hoffman decided that the fund should provide support to outstanding early career researchers who have the potential to transform the field of medical imaging. The grant is intended to support the career development of the awardee. This may include, but is not limited to, the funding of a pilot project, purchase of laboratory equipment, or funding to support a short-term visit to another institution/lab for the purpose of additional training.
In 2021, the inaugural Edward J. Hoffman Early Career Development Grant was awarded to Émilie Gaudin, a postdoctoral researcher at the Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada. Dr. Gaudin was “very honored and grateful” for what she described as an “amazing award,” which will support her work in the development of LabPET II technology. This second generation of the LabPET II scanners aims to reach nothing less than the best image quality on the market. The LabPET II makes it possible to measure and detect details requiring true submillimetric spatial resolution, therefore enabling new possibilities, and removing barriers that were impossible to overcome before.
Mrs. Hoffman hopes the Edward J. Hoffman Early Career Development Grant will be the boost that researchers like Dr. Gaudin, with great new ideas, need to create a prototype or proof of concept that will, in turn, attract further funding. She looks forward to seeing the fund support promising new ideas in the realm of nuclear medicine. Mrs. Hoffman says, “I think Ed would be proud to have supported a future breakthrough in medical imaging.”
Mrs. Hoffman applauds the selection of Dr. Gaudin and her project and wishes her much success. Thank you to Mrs. Hoffman for selecting a generous way to honor her husband’s memory. If you, too, would like to support IEEE programs in a tribute to a lost loved one or to honor great minds in their field, please find more information on the IEEE Foundation Tribute Gift page or reach out to us directly at donate@ieee.org.