The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) School of Clinical and Health Sciences recognised the achievements of its orthoptics students at the annual Orthoptics Scholarship and Prize evening, held on Tuesday 4 August 2026, with six graduate prizes and scholarships presented to students and recent graduates of the Master of Orthoptics program.
The ceremony, hosted by Associate Professor Amanda French, brought together award donors, industry representatives, and student recipients to mark the completion of studies for the 2024–2025 cohort and to support students entering their first and second years of the program in 2026.
Assoc Prof French opened the evening by acknowledging the donors whose ongoing support underpins the awards, including ophthalmologist Professor Frank Martin, orthoptist Neryla Jolly, Orthoptics Australia, Natalie, Julian and Sophia Moshegov, Troy Rutz and Sarah Najdek and the Optical Distributors and Manufacturers Association (ODMA), represented by Chief Executive Officer Amanda Trotman.
“Our UTS orthoptics scholarship and prize evening is always an important event in our calendar and an opportunity for us to celebrate the achievements of our graduate and current students,” Assoc Prof French said. “Something that I particularly love about this event is hearing from our award winners about their passion for learning.”
Associate Professor Mojtaba Golzan, Deputy Head of School, Research, spoke on behalf of Acting Head of School Professor Alison McEwen, who was unable to attend. “Postgraduate education is many things – a journey, a gift, a wonder, hard work, costly of both time and money,” Associate Professor Golzan said. “Like so much of life, it takes a village to support an individual to complete a degree.”
The Lance /Jolly Prize
The Lance / Jolly Prize, awarded to the student with the highest average mark across the Master of Orthoptics course, was presented by Neryla Jolly to Katherine Le. The prize honours Patricia Lance, a founder of Orthoptics Australia, and has been supported by Ms Jolly since her retirement from orthoptics education after more than 40 years. Ms Jolly, who described herself as one of Ms Lance’s first students, said the focus on how “the eyes worked … back into the head, into the brain, back out to the muscles” remained central to her own clinical work at Royal Rehab in Ryde, Sydney, today.
Ms Le thanked Ms Jolly for her support and reflected on completing a clinical placement with her. “You taught me that being an orthoptist is far more than clinical knowledge, but being able to view each patient as a whole,” she said.
Nour Al-Jaber received two prizes: the Orthoptics Australia Prize for the highest mark in professional practice subjects, and the ODMA Richard Grills Memorial Prize, presented by Ms Trotman and given in memory of the former ODMA chair and Designs for Vision founder. Ms Al-Jaber said the Richard Grills award held particular significance given her family’s experience of low vision. “My passion was inspired by those closest to me – my two little cousins born with congenital glaucoma,” she said.
Professor Frank Martin presented the Frank Martin Award, given for the highest grade point average on entry to the program, to first-year student Helena O’Shea. Prof Martin, chair of the school’s industry advisory board, told attendees that orthoptists’ assessments regularly shape his own clinical decisions. “the Orthoptist had made the diagnosis for me,” he said, recounting a recent patient referral.
Natalie and Julian Moshegov presented the UTS Dr Con Moshegov Orthoptics Scholarship, established in memory of the Sydney ophthalmologist, to Jenna Betts. “Knowledge was something to be shared, and he gave his time generously to encourage and support those at the beginning of their careers,” Natalie Moshegov said of her late husband.
The Glenda Rutz Polaris UTS Orthoptics Scholarship, presented on behalf of donors Troy and Sarah by orthoptist and UTS Associate Lecturer Mara Giribaldi, went to second-year student Yasmin Hogan. Ms Giribaldi described the award as representing “direction, purpose, and the light that guides us toward what we most hope to become.” Ms Hogan thanked her employers at Launceston Eye Doctors and orthoptist Julie Barbour for their support during her studies.
Past recipient Solaf Shiyab, now a practising orthoptist, returned to speak about the impact of receiving last year’s Glenda Rutz Polaris Scholarship. “It reminded me to keep striving for excellence and embrace every learning opportunity,” she said.
Credit: Photos by Carlos Velasco.
