Dr. Allan Hamilton was appointed a regents professor at the April 5 meeting of the Arizona Board of Regents. Hamilton was among five University of Arizona professors to receive the honor.
“I have felt deeply humbled and honored being named a regents professor,” Hamilton said. “It is an honor I never dreamed of achieving.”
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He came to the UA in 1990 after a decorated career serving as a surgeon in the U.S. Army. During his service, while in recovery for a broken back, he and his team developed a revolutionary method to treat extracranial cancer.
Hamilton now works as a professor of neurosurgery in the College of Medicine. He also holds professorships in radiation oncology, psychology and electrical and computer engineering.
In addition to teaching, Hamilton also serves as Executive Director of the Arizona Simulation Technology, or ASTEC, at the Education Center at the Arizona Health Sciences Center. He helped create ASTEC in 2004 to focus on new medical technology that is constantly emerging.
Using his joint expertise in computer science and medicine, Hamilton works on refining the capabilities of computer guidance for neurosurgery. Recently, he has begun to examine the role of medical informatics and information networking technology.
Beyond the UA, Hamilton served as the medical consultant for over 150 episodes of the popular television series Grey’s Anatomy.
His first and second books won the Nautilus Silver and Gold Awards, respectively, which are given to books that support positive social change and high-level wellness.
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This regents’ professorship is the latest in Hamilton’s legacy of achievement.
“I feel that with the honor comes a higher responsibility to represent the University and the state with more vigor and inspiration than ever before because we have been selected to serve as academic ambassadors for our institution, its faculty and, most of all, its students,” Hamilton said.
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