A Transformational Legacy of Giving Helps Train the Next Generation of Medical Physicists

A beloved family medicine practitioner who devoted his career to helping Louisiana families, Dr. Charles Smith developed an appreciation for the critical role of medical physicists while undergoing life-saving cancer treatment. Motivated to ensure access to the same high-quality cancer care for all in his home state of Louisiana, he established the Dr. Charles M. Smith Chair in Medical Physics at LSU in 2006, shortly after LSU and Mary Bird Perkins created an integrated academic-community cancer center model for medical physics education and research. His generous endowment played a major role in establishing the program as a leader in medical physics education and research in the country.

“Dr. Smith was the catalyst,” says Jonas Fontenot, Ph.D., Chief of Physics and Chief Operating Officer at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “He had a vision not only to improve cancer care in Baton Rouge but as a cancer survivor, he was inspired by the opportunity to elevate the field of medical physics to improve cancer care for everyone.”

The program has become a nationally recognized, accredited graduate medical physics program offering a master’s degree, a doctorate and clinical training in a state-of-the-art facility. Dr. Smith’s generous support has allowed the program to attract top talent to our state and engage in cutting-edge research that is transforming the future of cancer care.

A $7.84 million gift from his estate in 2021 will establish a Chief of Physics award to support research and educational activities, a directorship and multiple scholar awards to assist graduate student research, and an educational fund to support graduate education programs. Through Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Foundation, these funds will directly enhance medical physics initiatives now and in the future by fostering education and innovation among students and physicists, advancing research opportunities that will enhance treatments, and recruiting the highest quality clinicians in this highly specialized discipline.

At LSU, Dr. Smith’s gift will establish new endowment funds within the College of Sciences’ Department of Physics & Astronomy to advance LSU and the Cancer Center’s joint academic and research programs: the Dr. Charles M. Smith Medical Physics Endowed Fund, providing year-after-year annual funding in support of faculty, students and staff in LSU’s Medical and Health Physics Program; the Dr. Charles M. Smith Distinguished Professorship in Medical Physics, supporting recruitment and retention of faculty and adjunct faculty; and the Dr. Charles M. Smith Superior Graduate Scholarship, supporting graduate students to ensure a continued pipeline of highly qualified medical physicists. In addition, a portion of Dr. Smith’s gift will be dedicated to a new LSU Interdisciplinary Science Building that will bring together students, faculty and researchers in a world-class space for scientific inquiry, discovery and collaboration.

“As the benefactor of the Foundation, Dr. Smith made a significant investment in the medical physics program,” says Todd Stevens, President and CEO of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “This critical investment allowed the program to attract the highest quality of faculty and students and provided top-notch training resources and education on par with or exceeding the quality of medical physics education offered anywhere in the country.”

Dr. Smith’s devotion to serving his community and improving the lives of his fellow citizens was evident in every aspect of his life, and his long-time support for the medical physics program will continue to improve the lives of those affected by cancer for generations to come.

Dr. Charles Smith transforms cancer care through legacy giving