Maren Carson (mivision) with Irene Wei.
The University of New South Wales School of Optometry and Vision Sciences has presented its annual awards to high achieving students from the 2023 class of Master of Clinical Optometry.
Addressing students, their friends and family, academics and industry members, Professor Lisa Keay, Head of School, observed that the 2023 cohort began studying optometry in the “landmark” year of 2019.
“It was the first year we had trimesters… we had catastrophic bushfires… (and) in your second year we embarked on the COVID pandemic,” she reminded students.
She described the cohort as having “incredible resilience” and lauded them for innovations including the first industry day, where industry partners were invited onto campus to meet with optometry students and students in the vision science industry. Prof Keay said the industry day was “a really important bridge” that will “leave a lasting legacy”. She also congratulated the cohort on welcoming junior colleagues in the school with several initiatives and events, and for being “very active in the Student Wellbeing Action Group”.
PRIZE WINNERS
Among this year’s prize winners was Irene Wei who was awarded the mivision Prize in Recognition of Excellence in Social Engagement. This annual award acknowledges a student who demonstrated excellence in communication, advocacy or in promoting eye care to the community or other professions.
Ms Wei, who is currently working at Centre for Eye Health in Sydney, as a clinical assistant helping with visual fields and imaging, said receiving the Social Engagement award reinforced her commitment to serving the community.
“I think the value of social engagement is really to serve the community and then help everyone to get easy access to healthcare… that’s one of the values of Centre for Eye Health as well,” she told Maren Carson, mivision’s Head of Partnerships.
Ms Wei was also awarded the Optometry NSW/ACT Prize in Ocular Therapeutics.
Other awards were presented to:
Stage 1 Optics Prize: Bennett Chan. Donated by Essilor Australia Pty Limited.
Stage 2 Clinical Optometry Prize: Jimmy Nguyen. Donated by BOC Ophthalmic Instruments Pty Ltd.
Stage 3 Environmental Optometry and Dispensing Prize: Monica Lam. Donated by UVEX Safety, Australia, and New Zealand.
Stage 3 Ocular Diseases Prize: Josie Wehbe. Donated by Essilor Australia.
CooperVision Prize in Contact Lenses: Kristine Nguyen.
Dr Andrew Whatham Prize for Stage 5 CFEH Clinical Excellence: Rachael Chan. Donated by Centre for Eye Health/Guide Dogs NSW/ACT.
Research Project Prize in the Master of Clinical Optometry: Teresa Nguyen and Vivian Tran. Donated by Optometric Vision Research Foundation.
Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists (ACBO) Prize in Binocular and Children’s Vision: Ridwan Usamah.
Luxottica Prize for the Best Performance in Clinical Ocular Therapeutics (Master of Clinical Optometry, Stage 2): Cindy Tang.
Optical Distributors and Manufacturers Association of Australia (ODMA) Richard Grills Low Vision Prize: Cindy Tang.
Designs for Vision Prize: Imogen Locke-Sodhi.
Specsavers Prize for Excellence in Patient Management: Imogen Locke-Sodhi.
Specsavers Prize for Overall Excellence in the Bachelor of Vision Science Master of Clinical Optometry Program: Iris Huang.
Australian College of Optometry (ACO) Award: Yusrah Kanj.
Brian Kirby Prize for Research Excellence in Optometry: Dr Rajendra Gyawali.
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Prize for Excellence in Orientation and Mobility: Natasha Dakin and Tiana Nelson.
