Kathryn Keenan

Kathryn Keenan is a Researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO, where she has worked since 2012. She leads the Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Project in the Applied Physics Division, focusing on improving MRI's repeatability and reliability for clinical diagnostics.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University
  • M.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University
  • B.S.E. in Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Keenan’s research involves developing MRI calibration standards ("phantoms") that enable cross-machine and longitudinal comparability of MRI data, critical for diagnosing traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. She pioneered advanced quantitative MRI techniques and "living phantom" validation methods to ensure traceable, unambiguous imaging results.

Her accolades include the 2019 PECASE, the 2016 Department of Commerce Gold Medal, and the 2015 CO-LABS Governor’s Award. She has also contributed to patents related to magnetic resonance fingerprinting and MRI thermometers.