Kira Grogg · this is what i do

Objective

Experienced researcher, teacher, and programmer in the fields of high energy physics and medical imaging

Certification

• American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine (ABSNM) - Nuclear Medicine Physics and Instrumentation Specialty
• Certificate

Education

• Certificate Program in Medical Physics, March 2019
  • Harvard Medical Physics Residency Program
• Ph.D. High Energy Physics (GPA 3.9/4.0), August 2011
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison
  • Advisor: Wesley Smith
• B.A. Physics and Astronomy (GPA 3.7/4.0), June 2005
  • Carleton College

Experience

• Research Scientist, February 2024 - present
  Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine
  • Data Management
  • Web development
  • Dosimetry
  • Training
• Instructor / Associate in Physics , June 2015 - January 2024
  Zhu Lab | El Fakhri Lab
  Gordon Center for Medical Imaging
  Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS)
   
  • – Continuing my work using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging to monitor Proton Beam Therapy
  • – Applying kinetic modeling techniques to dynamic PET images taken after proton therapy to correct for biological washout
  • – Providing performance evaluations of the NeuroPET/CT (used for the PET monitoring of proton therapy project)
  • – Performing scans on the NeuroPET/CT and reconstructing dynamic images for other research studies (sheep lung, monkey brain, and human brain imaging)
  • – Providing clincial physics quality control for in Nuclear Medicine, Nuclear Cardiology, and PET at MGH.

• Research Assistant , November 2011 - June 2015
  Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (GCMI)
  Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS)
   
  • – Contributing to the development of a novel approach for adaptive Positron Emission Tomography (PET) monitoring of Proton Beam Therapy using endogenously generated positrons
  • – Creating a routine for quick but comprehensive verification of dose range after proton therapy
  • – Developing the use of a new mobile PET/CT system for better verification accuracy

• Research Assistant , May 2006 - 2011
  Compact Muon Solenoid at the Large Hadron Collider, CERN, Switzerland
   
  • – Based in France/Switzerland working on the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector
  • – Provided unfolding of the jet multiplicity and uncertainty calculations for a V+jets analysis
  • – Provided a cross check of the W+jets portion of the analysis
  • – Helped launch the Regional Calorimeter Trigger (RCT) part of the CMS detector
    • The RCT is a 20 crate, 2000 board high-speed custom electronics system that processes information from particle collisions at a rate of 400 Gb/s.
  • – Developed software for testing the RCT hardware and verifying correct functionality
  • – Developed software and a graphical user interface using a PVSS framework to monitor and control the RCT functionality
  • – Used statistical software (ROOT) to analyze physics signals and contribute to a first analysis for CMS

• Teaching Assistant , Aug 2005 - Dec 2006
  University of Wisconsin–Madison
   
  • – Led discussion classes and physics labs for three large, introductory undergraduate courses: Mechanics, Electromagnetism, and non-calculus based Electromagnetism
  • – Collaborated with professors and other teaching assistants to develop homework assignments, quizzes, and labs

• Project Assistant , June 2004 - Aug 2004 and June 2005 - Aug 2005
  IceCube Group – University of Wisconsin–Madison
   
  • – Worked as a team to set up a local testing facility for digital optical modules (DOMs) to simulate conditions in Antarctica
  • – Constructed and tested prototypes of circuit boards to interface with the DOMs
  • – Wrote program to analyze local test results of the DOMs and assess their noise levels

• Undergraduate Research Assistant, Lab Assistant, and Grader, March 2003 - June 2005
  Carleton College
   
  • – Research: Learned the principles behind MRIs; measured blood flow through vessels in the brain using MRI data
  • – Lab assistant: Supervised and advised groups of over 20 students conducting labs for two classes, Physics of Laboratory Instrumentation and Atomic and Nuclear Physics
  • – Grader: Elementary Physics, Electricity and Magnetism, Atomic and Nuclear Physics, Computer Simulations in Complex Physical Systems, Classical Mechanics