Vale Richard Kirsner

The ACPSEM extends its sincere condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Professor Richard Kirsner, whose distinguished career left a lasting impact on biomedical engineering, medical physics, and healthcare technology in Australia.

In January 1977, Richard was appointed the inaugural Director of the Department of Physical Sciences, at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne. This department was later to become the Department of Medical Engineering and Physics. Richard’s role was to develop electronic engineering and physics within the hospital, recognising the growing importance of science and engineering in healthcare. During his time as Director, Richard helped develop the department from a small scientific service into a broader service covering medical physics, electronic engineering and biomedical engineering. He helped establish an approach that brought science and engineering together to support clinical care that remains which remain central to the departments work today.

Richard held academic and hospital appointments and was an Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering at La Trobe University. His educational record and extent of his profession connections is easily observed by the range of qualifications attributed to him - BE, MSc(Hons), PhD, CEng, CPEng, FIEAust, FIET and FACPSEM.

Richard also made significant contributions to biomedical engineering in Australia and overseas during this time as well. Richard served as Secretary of the Australian Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering from 1983, contributing to the development of the profession. He also served on its Administrative Council of the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE) and was Treasurer from 1991 to 1997. He also chaired the organising committee for the 2nd IFMBE Pan-Pacific Symposium in Melbourne in 1989 and helped organise the 2003 World Congress in Sydney, where he served as Congress Treasurer.

In 1997 Richard moved from St. Vincent’s Hospital to continue his continued his contributions to teaching, research and postgraduate supervision through several universities and research organisations. Richards academic commitment continued to be reflected with papers covering areas including biomedical engineering, medical instrumentation, medical imaging and physiological measurement.