Carolyn C. Meltzer, M.D., Named RSNA Board Chair

CHICAGO – Today during the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), Carolyn C. Meltzer, M.D., was named chair of the RSNA Board of Directors.

Dr. Meltzer is the dean of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. In this role, she oversees more than 2,300 faculty in a vibrant research-intensive institution dedicated to the health of one of the country’s most diverse populations.

Committed to building opportunities for professionals from all backgrounds and at all career stages, Dr. Meltzer pledges to advocate for professional development, academic advancement and inclusivity during her time as chair.

“I am honored to chair the RSNA Board of Directors, as we empower the radiology community to thrive as stewards of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention and pioneers of medical imaging technology,” Dr. Meltzer said. “Together, we will help ensure that the Society leads in driving transformative advancements for our field and the communities we serve.” 

Prior to joining USC in 2022, Dr. Meltzer served as the William P. Timmie Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, executive associate dean of faculty academic advancement, leadership and inclusion and chief diversity officer at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. From 2007 to 2019, she served as the director of the Innovation Catalyst Program for the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance and as associate dean for research in the School of Medicine. She established the Emory Center for Systems Imaging to advance imaging capabilities in basic and translational research.

She has individually mentored more than 75 pre- and post-doctoral trainees and junior faculty. Launched under Dr. Meltzer’s direction as department chair, the Emory Radiology Leadership Academy has since graduated more than 120 professionals. 

Dr. Meltzer is a past president of both the American Society of Neuroradiology and the Academy for Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Research (the Academy). She has held numerous national leadership roles and served on several professional and advisory boards, including the advisory council for the National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, the American College of Radiology (ACR) Board of Chancellors, the Association of University Radiologists (AUR) Board of Directors, the Board of Directors of the Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments, the International Society of Strategic Studies in Radiology executive committee, the steering committee of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Women in Medicine and Science and the administrative board of the AAMC Council of Deans. 

Dr. Meltzer was the inaugural chair of the ACR Commission on Research and served on ACR’s Commission for Women and Diversity. 

An author of more than 200 scientific papers, Dr. Meltzer has maintained 20 years of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding as principal or co-investigator for research into the detection and study of aging-related brain conditions and diseases and the development and validation of imaging technology. She received the Outstanding Contributions in Research Award in 2016 and a gold medal in 2019 from the American Society of Neuroradiology. She also was honored with a gold medal from the AUR, the Academy and ACR. Other notable accolades include the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Award from the American Association for Women in Radiology, the Distinguished Service Award from the American Medical Association and induction as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. Meltzer earned her medical degree from The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and completed her fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. She began her career at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and was named medical director of the PET Facility in 1998 and chief of neuroradiology and vice chair of research in the Department of Radiology in 2002. While there, she was engaged in neuroscience and oncologic imaging research and oversaw the clinical evaluation of the world’s first combined human PET/CT scanner.

An RSNA member since 1989, Dr. Meltzer was named the inaugural chair of RSNA’s Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in 2018. She is a former chair of RSNA’s Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers Alliance task force and of the RSNA Research Development Committee.