OPT Visionary - Spring/Summer 2013

THE V ISIONARY • S PRING /S UMMER 2013 — 6 OD3 Receives National Grant Award OD3 John Kauderman, Jr., who received the 2012-13 Essilor of America/Varilux® Student Grant Award, was cho- sen for this prestigious honor after submitting a paper enti- tled “Fitting of S Series 4D with Visioffice™.” It is available to view on the Essilor Web site at essilorusa.com under Cor- porate Responsibilities/Professional Relations. As the re- cipient of this national award, Kauderman will receive a travel grant of $2,500 to attend the AOA meeting in San Diego in addition to a $1,000 Varilux Student Grant Award. NSUCO Students Accepted to Elite Program Edgar Ekure and Jana Wegrzyn were accepted into the 2013 Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry Fu- ture Faculty Program, which is designed to address the unique and important issues graduate students face as they embark on a career in optometric education. Ekure and We- grzyn are students in the NSUCO Master of Science in Clin- ical Vision Research program. Funded by a grant from Wal-Mart, the program is offered to 15 graduate students and held in conjunction with ASCO’s Summer Institute for Faculty Development. Appli- cants must be enrolled in a full-time graduate program at an ASCO member institution and demonstrate a strong in- terest in pursuing a career in academic optometry. NSUCO Students Present at UF In late February, NSUCO students were invited to present at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences extension program, which is a coordinated effort to reduce eye injuries caused by improper tree-trimming techniques and safety protocols. The program focused on the importance of eye safety for tree trimmers, proper eye care protection, training on use of tools, and other safety measures that impact the health and safety of tree trimmers and the public. According to Janet Leasher, O.D., associate professor, the plan is to incorporate eye safety measures into the permanent safety certification courses for Broward County tree trimmers. Site Student News eye The American Academy of Optometry (AAO) has introduced a new student fellowship program, which was established to promote interest and increase student attendance at the annual academy meeting. The AAO Student Fellowship Program enhances the educational experience by providing access to cutting-edge knowledge and advanced technology. Through active involvement in the academy as a students, they are encouraged to maintain interest through obtaining fellowship upon graduation. To obtain the fellowship, students must attend • the annual meeting and orientation breakfast • four hours of continuing education (at least two hours must be in public health, jurisprudence, or practice management, binocular vision, low vision, or contact lenses) • two hours of scientific talks • two hours of posters • one of the following: Plenary Session, Monroe J. Hirsch Symposium, Ezell Fellows Presentation, or Borish Festscrift • one business meeting • one section or SIG symposium This year, four of our students received AAO Student Fellowships: Katherine Gonzalez, John Koehler, Gregori Osherov, and Megan Provence-Perry. We congratulate these students on their hard work, dedication, and support of our profession. AAO Student Fellowship Program Established By Julie Rodman O.D., Associate Professor Edgar Ekure Jana Wegrzyn