William B. McCarthy

Deputy Director/Reactor Radiation Protection Officer
Office of Environment, Health and Safety
Innovative Solutions
Award presented by
Chancellor Cynthia Barnhart

2017 MIT Excellence Awards + Collier Medal ceremony

The Excellence Award for Innovative Solutions goes to William McCarthy, Deputy Director, Environment, Health and Safety Office and Reactor Radiation Protection Officer. Bill is responsible for all aspects of radiation safety at MIT’s Nuclear Reactor Laboratory.

Bill is a former member of the staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and one of only a few certified health physicists in the country. At MIT, he has achieved an extraordinary reduction in radiation exposures by building effective relationships with NRL staff and academic researchers, introducing late-breaking technologies that allow staff and researchers to track their radiation exposure in real time, and integrating comprehensive training and awareness programs that inspire everyone to adopt best safety practices.

As one of his many admiring colleagues said, “Bill’s efforts have drawn the attention of federal regulators, who see his work as an example of how such a safety program should be run. Bill McCarthy is the future of university safety.”

Congratulations, Bill, on your Excellence Award!