University launches nation's 2nd imaging science PhD

The University of Washington in St. Louis announced it will launch an interdisciplinary doctoral program in imaging sciences beginning in the 2018-19 academic year, according to a report published by the Source, a university-affiliated news outlet.

Part of a $25 million initiative launched by the schools of engineering & applied science and medicine, the program will incorporate the latest imaging technologies, including biomedical, satellite, seismic, sonic and light detection and ranging (LiDAR).

According to the Source, this will be the second PhD program of its kind in the U.S. The Rochester Institute of Technology also offers a PhD in imaging science.

Mark Anastasio, an international expert on tomographic image reconstruction among other areas, will lead the more than 35 faculty engineering experts in training the next generation of imaging professionals.

“Imaging technology is booming, and now we are in an artificial intelligence revolution where machine learning is taking over and everything is becoming ‘smart,’” Anastasio said in the story. “Artificial intelligence revolution is definitely impacting the medical imaging field. We hope that this program will embrace this new AI technology and will change the way images are used and formed.”