In Memoriam: Paul M. DeLuca, Jr.

1944-2023

Adapted with permission from NCRP

Paul M. DeLuca, Jr., passed away on 30 October 2023. He was the Board of Visitors chair, emeritus professor, and emeritus provost in the Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Medicine and Public Health.

Dr. DeLuca received a BS in physics and math in 1966 and a PhD in nuclear physics from the University of Notre Dame in 1971. That same year he joined UW as a research associate, and in 1975 he was appointed to the faculty of the Department of Radiology. Following the creation of the Department of Medical Physics in 1981, he served as chair from 1987 through 1998 and held an appointment as professor in the Departments of Medical Physics, Radiology, Human Oncology, Engineering Physics, and Physics. In 1999, DeLuca assumed a role in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health as associate dean for Research and Graduate Studies, and his administrative role was expanded in 2001 with his appointment as vice dean.

DeLuca was first elected to the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) Council in 1996 and became a Distinguished Emeritus Member in 2014. He served on the NCRP Board of Directors from 2008 to 2014 and was chair of the Nominating Committee from 2004 to 2008 after serving as a member from 2002 to 2003. DeLuca was a member of the 2010 Annual Meeting Program Committee and served as a session chair and speaker the same year. He was a member of NCRP Program Area Committee 6 on Radiation Measurements and Dosimetry from 1999 to 2012.

His research interests concentrated on fast neutron dosimetry including production of intense sources of fast neutrons, determination of elemental neutron kerma factors, and application of microdosimetry to radiation dosimetry. DeLuca was an internationally recognized expert in high-energy particle radiation effects on humans. He was chairman of the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements and was also a member and chair of the Nonproliferation and International Security Division Review Committee at Los Alamos. Other national and international associations and professional society affiliations included the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, American Physical Society, Health Physics Society, Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards, and Institute of Physics.

DeLuca was a delightful gentleman who brought a high standard of intellectual discussion to the radiation sciences work in which he participated. His wisdom and thoughtful insights served many committees well and will be missed. He is survived by his beloved wife, Florence, his children Paul DeLuca (Kerry) and Kelly King (Jason), and his cherished grandchildren Molly, Patrick, Colleen, Ryan, Thomas, and Benjamin. He is also survived by his siblings Lynda DeLuca, John DeLuca (Carole), Susan DeLuca, and Lisa DeMars (David), as well as many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.