All, please join us in congratulating Dr Manuel Arreola, who was selected as the recipient of the 2026 Society of Directors of Academic Medical Physics Programs (SDAMPP) Lifetime Achievement Award! The award will be presented at the 2026 SDAMPP Annual Meeting on Saturday, July 18 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Dr Arreola’s nomination was supported by letters that showcased his unwavering dedication to graduate education and mentorship, and his profound impact on trainees, colleagues, and medical physics education. He is one of a select few upon which this prestigious award has been bestowed – a truly remarkable achievement exclusive to a highly esteemed group of individuals.
Dr Arreola’s medical physics journey began in Mexico City, Mexico, where he was awarded a BS in Physics. He earned a MS in Physics from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a PhD in Medical Physics from the University of Florida in Gainesville. While obtaining his degrees, Dr Arreola worked as a teaching assistant, research associate, and graduate assistant before securing a position as a Diagnostic Imaging Physicist, and subsequently the Director of Radiation Physics and Radiation Oncology, at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh.
In 1998, Dr Arreola accepted a position in the Department of Radiology with the College of Medicine at the University of Florida, where he now holds multiple positions to include Vice Chair of Medical Physics, Chief of the Division of Clinical Radiological Physics, Clinical Assistant Professor, and Program Director of the Medical Physics Graduate Program. In addition to managing a vast array of clinical responsibilities, Dr Arreola dedicates a significant amount of time to research, scholarly activities, and educational endeavors.
In 2017, Dr Arreola spearheaded the move of the UF Medical Physics Graduate Program from the College of Engineering to the College of Medicine, an unusual and major academic venture. Not only was the transition successful, but in the ten years that followed, Dr Arreola grew the program into one of the top medical physics graduate programs in the nation.
We are incredibly proud of Dr Arreola, who is most deserving of this prestigious award!
