For 44 years, Paul Ruggera has excelled in the field of engineering, culminating in his current position as an independent consultant on RF interference to medical devices.
MCLEAN, VA, March 11, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Paul Ruggera with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Paul Ruggera celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
For 44 years, Mr. Ruggera has excelled in the field of engineering. In 1968, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). He was assigned to the newly created Bureau of Radiological Health (BRH) as a result of the passage of the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968. His work involved the measurement of ionizing radiation from color television sets and it contributed to a federal standard limiting the radiation to 0.5 milliroentgen per hour.
In 1970, he was assigned to investigate leakage from a newly emerging product, the microwave oven. The oven uses non-ionizing radiation (in the radio frequency (rf) band) in a sealed cavity to heat food. If the seal has a gap, unintentional exposure to a user could result. This is most likely to occur around the door, through debris buildup on, or other damage to the oven door's gasket. The primary concern of the BRH was limiting human exposure to safe levels of radiation (not causing tissue heating). The BRH wrote a performance standard that limits the oven's radiation level to 5 milliwatts (mW) of microwave radiation per square centimeter at approximately 2 inches from the oven surface. However, a report of an implanted pacemaker being inhibited near a microwave oven raised concern in the BRH and he was assigned to investigate. Through cooperation of both the pacemaker manufacturers and the microwave oven companies, studies were undertaken that showed that the level of radiation necessary to cause an implanted pacemaker to inhibit was well below the exposure standard. The electromagnetic characteristics of a signal between a radio frequency emitter, intentional or non-intentional, and a potentially susceptible medical device, implanted or external, defined the remainder of his career. Some of the other devices, and possible interference sources were: apnea monitors from FM radio transmitters; motorized wheel chairs from walkie-talkies; implanted pacemakers, defibrillators, and spinal cord stimulators from cellular phones, airport surveillance systems, and RFID tracking systems.
In a career filled with highlights, Mr. Ruggera is especially proud of obtaining a patent, along with co-inventor, Gideon Kantor, PhD, Helical Coil for Diathermy Apparatus. He later obtained another patent for a diathermy coil. As a consultant to the American Red Cross, he conducted research on the rapid warming of vitrified rabbit kidneys for transplant. He served 30 years as an officer in the USPHS, retiring with the rank of Captain from the Center of Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) of the Food and Drug Administration. He then continued this employment part time as a civil servant retiring after eight years. He then consulted with them periodically for the next six years. He is now an independent consultant on RF interference to medical devices. Current implanted medical devices have incorporated RF shielded cases and input filters to maintain their electromagnetic compatibility with the ever-changing ambient environment.
A registered professional engineer, Mr. Ruggera has earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and a Master of Science in bioengineering from the University of Wyoming. In order to remain aware of changes in the field, he is a life member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), and member of their Electromagnetic Compatibility Society. Utilizing his considerable knowledge, Mr. Ruggera has authored myriad articles published in the BRH Reports, the International Journal of Hyperthermia, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and the IEEE EMC Society Proceedings.
Due to his professional excellence, Mr. Ruggera has been presented with two Commendation Medals from the U.S. Public Health Service, as well as a U.S. Food and Drug Administration Group Award on numerous occasions. Likewise, he has been selected for inclusion in multiple editions of Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Who's Who in Science and Engineering, Who's Who in the East and Who's Who in the World.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Paul Ruggera has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
About Marquis Who's Who®
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
# # #