Alex Converse, Ph.D.

Assistant Scientist

B.A. in Physics from Reed College.
Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

His office phone number is (608) 265-6604.

E-mail him at akconverse@wisc.edu.

Positions and employment

1985 - 1988      Research Assistant, Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1988 - 1990      Research and Teaching Assistant, Physics Department, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich
1991 - 1993      Research Assistant, Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1993 - 1997      Renewable energy consultant, Madison, Wisconsin
1997 - 1999      Computer Programmer, Epic Systems Corporation, Madison, Wisconsin
2000 - 2002      Postdoctoral Trainee, Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin - Madison
2002 - present  Assistant Scientist, W. M. Keck Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin-Madison

 Other Experience and Professional Memberships

1985 - 2000     Member, American Physical Society
2001 - present  Member, Society for Neuroscience
2003                Reviewer, Synapse

Honors

2002  Nominated by University of Wisconsin-Madison for Burroughs Wellcome Foundation Career Award at the Scientific Interface
2002  Nominated by University of Wisconsin-Madison chapter of Society for Neuroscience for Annual Meeting Postdoctoral Travel Award

Short Courses

1-3 Jun 2000         FMRI: An Introductory Course, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
17-19 Jan 2001     GE MRI pulse sequence programming training (EPIC), Waukesha, WI
30 Nov 2001         Rat surgical technique, UW-Madison Research Animal Resources Center
26-28 Jun 2003     PET Parmacokinetic Course, Montreal

Publications (Refereed)

1.      Sromicki J, Converse A, Lang J, Müller R (1989) Method for measurements of absolute analyzing powers in nuclear-reactions. Physical Review C 40:R1111-R1113

2.      Sromicki J, Allet M, Converse A, Hajdas W, Lang J, Lüscher H, Müller R, Naviliat-Cuncic O, Haeberli W, Miller MA, Quin PA (1990) An experiment to investigate time-reversal invariance in the decay of Li-8. Journal de Physique 51:C6527-C6530

3.      Liechti J, Allet M, Converse A, Deutsch J, Gimenonogues F, Lang J, Lüscher H, Müller R, Naviliat-Cuncic O, Prieels R, Quin PA, Severijns N, Sromicki J (1991) Production of polarized N-12 with the C-12(p,N-12)n reaction. Nuclear Physics A 533:292-306

4.      Allet M, Hajdas W, Lang J, Lüscher H, Müller R, Naviliat-Cuncic O, Sromicki J, Converse A, Haeberli W, Miller MA, Quin PA (1992) Search for time-reversal violation in the beta-decay of Li-8. Physical Review Letters 68:572-575

5.      Converse A, Haeberli W, Hajdas W, Kistryn S, Lang J, Liechti J, Lüscher H, Müller R, Smyrski R, Sromicki J (1992) Absolute calibration of the transverse analyzing power in proton-carbon elastic scattering at 50.24 MeV. Physical Review C 45:2320-2327

6.      Converse A, Allet M, Haeberli W, Hajdas W, Lang J, Liechti J, Lüscher H, Miller MA, Müller R, Naviliat-Cuncic O, Quin PA, Sromicki J (1993) Measurement of the asymmetry parameter for ³⁵Ar beta-decay as a test of the CVC hypothesis. Physics Letters B 304:60-64

7.      Dabbs KA, Converse AK, Barnhart TE, Dick DW, Larson J, Nickles RJ, Oakes TR, Schneider ML, Schueller MJ, Shelton SE, Roberts AD (2001) Visual activation using F-17-fluoromethane in rhesus monkey. J Nucl Med 42:934 Suppl.

8.      Nickles RJ, Roberts AD, Dick DW, Schueller MJ, Converse AK, Dabbs KA, Barnhart TE, Kalin NH (2001) An integrated lab for the PET imaging of cerebral activation. J Nucl Med 42:1118 Suppl.

9.      Roberts AD, Dejesus OT, Schneider ML, Barnhart TE, Converse AK, Dabbs KA, Dick DW, Larson J, Schueller MJ, Nickles RJ (2001) Paired [¹⁸F]FMT and [¹⁸F]FAL PET studies in rhesus monkeys exposed to in utero alcohol and maternal stress. J Nucl Med 42:54 Suppl.

10. Converse AK, Dabbs KA, Barnhart TE, Dick DW, Larson J, Nickles RJ, Schneider ML,          Schueller MJ, Roberts AD (2001) Modulated delivery of F-17-fluoromethane for PET                                   measurement of regional cerebral blood flow. J Nucl Med 42:930 Suppl.

11.Barnhart TE, Converse AK, Dabbs KA, Nickles RJ, Buckley K, Jivan S, Ruth TJ, Roberts AD  (2003) Water-cooled grid support system for high power irradiation with thin target windows Journal of Applied Radiation and Isotopes 58(1):21-26.

12. Dejesus OT, Murali D, Flores LG, Converse AK, Dick DW, Oakes TR, Roberts AD, Nickles RJ (2003) Synthesis of [F-18]-ZD1839 as a PET imaging agent for epidermal growth factor receptors. Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals 46:S1

13.Converse AK, Barnhart TE, Dabbs KA, Dejesus OT, Larson JA, Nickles RJ, Schneider ML, Roberts AD (2004) PET Measurement of rCBF in the presence of a neurochemical tracer. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 132:199-208

14. Nickles RJ, Barnhart TE, Avila-Rodriguez MA, Converse AK, Sundaresan R, Nye JA, Dick DW, Roberts AD (2004) Production of [¹⁶N]N₂ for instrument calibration [accepted for publication]. Radiochimica Acta