To adapt a popular 80s song, when it comes to the technology originally known as X-Rays, 'the future's so bright we're going to need shades'!

That's according to Cynthia Cowling, who is a worldwide champion for radiography education to incorporate the latest safety initiatives, the diversity of related technologies and the reality that digital read-outs have largely replaced prints.

These days, medical imaging technologies range from the traditional X-ray scans to computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, nuclear medicine imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other developing areas.

Cynthia Cowling - scanning the future for education

Ms Cowling says she is feeling energised thanks to her current role with CQUniversity, ensuring a suite of proposed medical imaging programs will be fresh, forward-looking and future-proofed.

The experienced radiography practitioner has also developed a reputation for improving educational systems and her expertise has been sought-after by bodies such as the World Health Organisation, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists*.

Ms Cowling recently completed a global overview of the changing roles of radiographers and has been promoting initiatives to avoid over-servicing and over-dosing of patients, particularly children. Other recent projects have included degree development for Trinidad and Tobago and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

She is well placed to take a global view having lived and worked in the United Kingdom, Canada, the West Indies, India and now Australia - she and her Australian husband Peter Lloyd settled in Rockhampton a few years ago for lifestyle reasons.

Peter and Cynthia were both diagnosed with cancer shortly after their arrival and had nothing but praise for the local health services. Peter died last September but Cynthia is happy to remain in a city that has shown her nothing but kindness and friendship.

It was during her first breast screen session that Ms Cowling's radiography experience led to her being offered a part-time job as a mammographer for Breastscreen Queensland. (In 2007, Cynthia retrained in mammography and in 2008 took courses to become competent in digital imaging.)

"It was the first time I've been offered a job while presenting as a patient," she said.

Ms Cowling originally trained as a diagnostic radiographer at Guy's Hospital, London. She completed her Advanced Certification from the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT), and a B.Sc. and M.Ed from University of Toronto.

After 15 years of clinical work, which included a period as a volunteer abroad in St Vincent, West Indies, and specializing in angiography in Canada, Cynthia started to teach at The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences in Toronto.

During her stay at The Michener, Cynthia became Chair of Radiography, Director of Business Development and finally Vice President, Business. These last two roles included all international activities of The Institute and she established programs in South Africa, Lebanon, Trinidad and Tobago, and Bangladesh, as well as negotiating a comprehensive agreement with Charles Sturt University in Australia, and implementing the first Canada-EU exchange program for radiological technologists/radiographers. During this time, Cynthia was awarded the Dr Marshall Mallett Award by the CAMRT (Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists) for contributions to Radiography Education in Canada.

In 2002, Cynthia was appointed as Industry Linkage Officer in a Canada-India funded educational program focused on engineering colleges curricula, and was based in Pune, India for 3 years.

"At first India was a bit confronting but after six months or so it felt like home and I hated to leave," she said.

Outside her work commitments, Cynthia's personal goal is to stay healthy enough to continue travelling to keep in touch with her son and step-daughters and all the wonderful colleagues and friends she has made in many countries.

* Cynthia is Director of Education of the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT) which is an affiliate of the World Health Organisation (WHO).