Matt Barrett

What is your position at UNC-Chapel Hill, and how long have you been associated with the University?

Cyclotron Health Physicist and I have been associated with the university in various positions since 2008.

How did you initiate your career in this field or what led you to your current position?

I started in this field through a more lateral entry mechanism. I worked in labs using radioactive materials, and then as a nuclear medicine technologist administering radioactivity to people, and those two led me to working on the safety side of radioactive material usage.

Which sectors of the University does your role impact, and in what ways does it contribute to those areas of work?

My role impacts mainly the cyclotron and various X-ray machines around campus, and my contribution is ensuring compliance with various regulations regarding radiation use.

Describe what you love most about your job.

The varied nature of my job is what I appreciate the most about it. Many types of work can become dull if you are doing the exact same thing every day, but at EHS you are almost never doing the exact same thing.

What advice do you have for those interested in entering a career in your line of work?

Read research papers. Many aspects of radiation use are changing, so much so that many types of radiation jobs will no longer be here in 10 years and many new jobs will be created. By scanning papers you can see what uses are up and coming and make sure your training/experience will be geared to that type.