Jim Baun is a pioneering clinical, research, and academic sonographer who has been practicing since the early days of the profession. Introduced to the modality back in the days when vacuum tubes still powered ultrasound equipment, Jim spent the next forty years learning about, teaching, and participating in the evolution of the discipline of diagnostic medical sonography. Living and working for 35 years in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, Jim was close to the heart of the digital revolution that changed forever the scope, practice, and potential of medical imaging in general and of sonography in particular.

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In the 1980’s, Jim was at the forefront of introducing transabdominal and newly developed endovaginal imaging to clinical obstetric and gynecologic practices at a time when all medical imaging was confined to and controlled by radiology specialists. In the 1990’s he pioneered the use of color Doppler and triplex imaging in vascular surgical practice and, working with several national professional societies, was instrumental in establishing the original scope of practice for vascular sonographers. For several years, as manager of clinical affairs, Jim supervised FDA Phase III clinical trials for a start-up company that pioneered the use of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the treatment of prostate disease.

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Throughout decades of clinical practice and involvement with emerging technologies, Jim engaged in continuous and diverse academic and educational endeavors. He served on the faculty and advisory councils for several university and college-based sonography programs and developed didactic curricula for private educational organizations throughout the United States and abroad. His areas of academic expertise include vascular and Ob/Gyn sonography, hemodynamics, ultrasound physics and instrumentation, and emerging technologies. Jim is widely published in the medical literature. He has authored several sonography textbooks and has published more than thirty peer-reviewed journal articles. For decades, he was active in ultrasound professional societies and held several volunteer leadership positions. In recognition of his contributions to the profession, Jim was elevated to Fellow status in the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in 1997, received the Gottsfeld award for excellence in publishing in 1998, was the recipient of the Joan Baker Pioneer Award in 2016, and delivered the prestigious McLaughlin Memorial Lecture at the SDMS Annual Conference in 2019.

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In his last decade of active employment, Jim was an integral part of the senior management team of a Silicon Valley-based ultrasound equipment manufacturer. His contributions included platform design and development, domestic and international clinical marketing, regulatory oversight, emerging technology research, education, and the introduction and clinical evaluation of novel quantitative “sonobiometric” modalities and applications.

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After living and working for 35 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jim "retired" to his hometown of Toledo, Ohio in 2019 but remains active as a clinical, education, and research consultant for ultrasound device manufacturers and sonography educational programs.