Jeff Yorker interview

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  • Early Education and Career
    Partial Transcript: Today is January 16th, 2020
    Synopsis: In this segment, Yorker talks about his early life and education and how his undergraduate and graduate experiences led him to work for DuPont.
    Keywords: AGFA; Cornell University; Denver, CO; DuPont; Hologic; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; radiology
  • Early Work with DuPont
    Partial Transcript: So how did you
    Synopsis: Yorker explains his role as a research physicist at DuPont including his shift to management roles. He then discusses his transition to work in the diagnostic imaging business at DuPont.
    Keywords: AGFA; diagnostic imaging; DuPont; Engineering Physics Lab; Fuji; Kodak; research physicist
  • Work with AGFA/Changes at DuPont
    Partial Transcript: What did you do for AGFA
    Synopsis: Yorker briefly mentions his work with diagnostic imaging at AGFA and then explains how DuPont changed during his time working there
    Keywords: AGFA; diagnostic imaging; Hologic
  • Projects During Career pt. 1
    Partial Transcript: Yeah it sounds very difficult
    Synopsis: In this segment, Yorker reflects on his most important project throughout his career, the digital mammography system called Selenia. He also mentions a number of other projects that he worked on.
    Keywords: AGFA; diagnostic imaging; digital mammography; digital radiography; DuPont; FDA; Hologic; LP400; product development; Selenia
  • Projects During Career pt. 2
    Partial Transcript: Selenia is the direct replacement
    Synopsis: In continuing his discussion of past projects, Yorker details his work on the system, Selenia, and a few other medical imaging projects.
    Keywords: 2D mammography; Affirm Breast Biopsy Systems; biopsy; CT Scan; Selenia; tomography; tomosynthesis; Trident
  • Switch from Film to Digital Imaging
    Partial Transcript: Since you were there
    Synopsis: Yorker explains the shift from film to digital imaging within his work and some of the benefits of this change in terms of efficacy, energy, and time.
    Keywords: 3M; breast imaging; DICOM; digital imaging; Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine; digital mammography; film imaging; Fuji; Kodak; tomosynthesis
  • Work at Hologic Compared to DuPont
    Partial Transcript: So since you spent
    Synopsis: In this segment, Yorker comments on the differences of working for Hologic and DuPont, specifically related to the research and development field. He also mentions general changes to the research and development field as a whole.
    Keywords: automation; Controller Area Network; DuPont; equipment development; FDA; Hologic; Research and Development; Telecom
  • Research and Development Process
    Partial Transcript: So what's sort of the
    Synopsis: In this segment, Yorker walks through the typical research and development process when starting a new project
    Keywords: DuPont; FDA; quality control; tomosynthesis
  • Work with FDA and Insurance Companies
    Partial Transcript: So if you're working
    Synopsis: Yorker explains his work with the FDA and insurance companies and specifically how Hologic worked to determine the reimbursement for tomosynthesis.
    Keywords: C.E. Mark; DuPont; FCC; FDA; Hologic; Jim Coley; Medicare; radiological technologists; reimbursement; tomosynthesis; Underwriter's Lab
  • Impact of being at a Smaller Company
    Partial Transcript: So the next question
    Synopsis: Yorker briefly mentions the ways in which Hologic, since it was a smaller company than DuPont, was able to have better communicational and relational practices.
    Keywords: communication; DuPont; field service group; Hologic
  • Changes During Career
    Partial Transcript: The next question I think
    Synopsis: In reflecting on the changes over the course of his career, Yorker talks about the switch from film to digital imaging and the introduction of IT into the medical field.
    Keywords: AGFA; artificial intelligence; digital imaging; film imaging; Fuji; General Electric; mammography; Phillips; Siemens
  • Typical Day in Career
    Partial Transcript: All of those changes
    Synopsis: Yorker talks about the typical daily routine in his career and specifically talks about his typical days while working on the Selenia project.
    Keywords: Korea; Lorad; Selenia; selenium; TFT; Thinner Film Transistor
  • Work with Other Companies/Agencies
    Partial Transcript: Did you work across
    Synopsis: Yorker details his work with other companies, including international suppliers in Germany, Canada, and Korea. He also discusses his work with the FDA and the Delaware State Government.
    Keywords: Canada; Delaware; FDA; Germany; Joe Biden; Korea; selenium; TFT; Tom Carper
  • Work with Outside Organizations
    Partial Transcript: So did you ever
    Synopsis: In this segment, Yorker talks about the trade organizations and philanthropic groups he has worked with throughout his career.
    Keywords: American Cancer Society; American Physical Society; Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition; FDA; Hologic; Medicare; Radiological Society of North America; RSNA; Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers
  • Reflections on Career
    Partial Transcript: I need to start watching
    Synopsis: In this final segment, Yorker reflects on his career by talking about his favorite and least favorite moments and the changes in the field. Within this, Yorker tells a story of his wife's breast cancer being diagnosed on the system that he developed.
    Keywords: AGFA; Glasgow Medical Center; Hologic; Johns Hopkins; Massachusetts General
Details
Title

Jeff Yorker interview

Date Created

2020-01-16

Summary

In this interview, Jeff Yorker talks about his career with DuPont, AGFA, and Hologic and his work in the diagnostic medical business. Yorker discusses the many projects he worked with including the development of Selenia, a digital mammography system. Yorker walks through the process of research and development for each of these projects including, patenting and work with the FDA. He also spends a large part of the interview comparing his work with DuPont and Hologic.

Interviewee

Yorker, Jeffrey, 1954

Interviewer

Spohn, Benjamin

Associated Name (corporate)

Hologic (Firm)

Biographical Note

Jeff Yorker (1954-) grew up in Denver, Colorado and attended Cornell University where he received a degree in physics in 1976. He then went to MIT for a Ph.D. in Physics, which he completed in 1982. After finishing his education, Yorker began working for DuPont as a research physicist and then in their diagnostic imaging business. Yorker was then employed by AGFA and Hologic after the medical diagnostic imaging business was bought by these companies. Yorker worked in research development and equipment development for Hologic in 2015.

Subject(s)

Diagnostic imaging
Breast--Radiography
Medical technology
Physicists

Find all items with name(s)

Yorker, Jeffrey, 1954
Hologic (Firm)
Spohn, Benjamin

Genre

oral histories

Language

English

Type of resource

sound recording

Extent

1 WAV file. (01:52:11:00).

Repository

Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library

Original Collection

Hologic Medical Imaging oral histories (Accession 2020.201)

Finding Aid

https://findingaids.hagley.org/2020_201

Preferred Citation

[Description and dates], Hagley ID, Box/folder number, Hologic Medical Imaging oral histories (Accession 2020.201), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807

Access Condition

Access to this item is provided for educational and research purposes only. The user assumes responsibility for obtaining permission from the copyright holder to publish or distribute this image. If you would like more information, please contact askhagley@hagley.org

Hagley ID

2020201_Yorker_Jeff_20200116

PID

islandora:2661948

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