Ronald Collé
Encyclopedia
Ronald Collé is a specialist in nuclear and radiochemistry
, radionuclidic metrology
, and the development of standards. He has worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) from 1976 to 2003 and from 2005 to present, and currently serves as a Research Chemist in the Radioactivity Group of the NIST Physics Laboratory (Ionizing Radiation Division).
Previously, he held research positions at Brookhaven National Laboratory
and at the University of Maryland, College Park
. He received a B.Sc in Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology
in 1969, a Ph.D. in Chemistry (Nuclear and Radiochemistry) from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
in 1972,
and a M.S. Adm. (Administration of Science and Technology) from George Washington University
in 1979.
Ronald Colle and his collaborators have maintained, expanded and improved radioactivity measurement standards for radium
-226 and radon
-222 to address the requirements to measure these nuclide
s in drinking water
. R.Colle and collaborators developed methods to analyse and standardize brachytherapy
sources, pellets of radioactive material designed to be implanted in the body at site requiring direct radiation exposure.
An important part of metrology
and standards development is understanding and taking into account uncertainties that are inherent in the instruments or that arise from methodology. Colle co-authored a paper with Churchill Eisenhart
and Harry Ku, which was the forerunner of the 1993 ISO Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement.
Collé has published over ninety research papers, and from 1999 through 2004 was an associate editor of the Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
.
Radiochemistry
Radiochemistry is the chemistry of radioactive materials, where radioactive isotopes of elements are used to study the properties and chemical reactions of non-radioactive isotopes...
, radionuclidic metrology
Metrology
Metrology is the science of measurement. Metrology includes all theoretical and practical aspects of measurement. The word comes from Greek μέτρον , "measure" + "λόγος" , amongst others meaning "speech, oration, discourse, quote, study, calculation, reason"...
, and the development of standards. He has worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Institute of Standards and Technology
The National Institute of Standards and Technology , known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards , is a measurement standards laboratory, otherwise known as a National Metrological Institute , which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce...
(NIST) from 1976 to 2003 and from 2005 to present, and currently serves as a Research Chemist in the Radioactivity Group of the NIST Physics Laboratory (Ionizing Radiation Division).
Previously, he held research positions at Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory , is a United States national laboratory located in Upton, New York on Long Island, and was formally established in 1947 at the site of Camp Upton, a former U.S. Army base...
and at the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
. He received a B.Sc in Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
in 1969, a Ph.D. in Chemistry (Nuclear and Radiochemistry) from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
in 1972,
and a M.S. Adm. (Administration of Science and Technology) from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in 1979.
Ronald Colle and his collaborators have maintained, expanded and improved radioactivity measurement standards for radium
Radium
Radium is a chemical element with atomic number 88, represented by the symbol Ra. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226,...
-226 and radon
Radon
Radon is a chemical element with symbol Rn and atomic number 86. It is a radioactive, colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas, occurring naturally as the decay product of uranium or thorium. Its most stable isotope, 222Rn, has a half-life of 3.8 days...
-222 to address the requirements to measure these nuclide
Nuclide
A nuclide is an atomic species characterized by the specific constitution of its nucleus, i.e., by its number of protons Z, its number of neutrons N, and its nuclear energy state....
s in drinking water
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
. R.Colle and collaborators developed methods to analyse and standardize brachytherapy
Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy , also known as internal radiotherapy, sealed source radiotherapy, curietherapy or endocurietherapy, is a form of radiotherapy where a radiation source is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment...
sources, pellets of radioactive material designed to be implanted in the body at site requiring direct radiation exposure.
An important part of metrology
Metrology
Metrology is the science of measurement. Metrology includes all theoretical and practical aspects of measurement. The word comes from Greek μέτρον , "measure" + "λόγος" , amongst others meaning "speech, oration, discourse, quote, study, calculation, reason"...
and standards development is understanding and taking into account uncertainties that are inherent in the instruments or that arise from methodology. Colle co-authored a paper with Churchill Eisenhart
Churchill Eisenhart
Dr. Churchill Eisenhart was a United States mathematician. He was Chief of the Statistical Engineering Laboratory , Applied Mathematics Division of the National Bureau of Standards ....
and Harry Ku, which was the forerunner of the 1993 ISO Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement.
Collé has published over ninety research papers, and from 1999 through 2004 was an associate editor of the Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
The Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is the scientific journal of National Institute of Standards and Technology. The editor in chief is Theodore V. Vorburger....
.