Head of School Message
Monday 27 February marks the beginning of semester one teaching for students in Parts II to IV of the BOptom programme. I would like to extend a warm welcome to all our new Part II students and congratulate them on admission to the optometry degree.
I would also like to acknowledge that the Part V students have been back on campus seeing patients in the Optometry Clinic under the supervision of our clinical staff since mid-January and wish them well for their final year with us in the programme.
2023 has also seen the welcome return of international students both to the undergraduate BOptom degree and as new PhD students, which is a hopeful sign that the disruptions of the past few years due to COVID-19 are mostly behind us.
The research activities of the school continue to grow with the establishment of new vision science research facilities in building 505, and the expansion of the Community Eye Health team who are commencing Aotearoa New Zealand’s first population-based eye health survey in 2023. I am always impressed by the dedication and productivity of the School’s researchers when we compile our annual reports to groups such as the Aotearoa New Zealand National Eye Centre based in the faculty.
Finally, I’d like to wish everybody the best for 2023.
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini – Success is not mine alone, it is the success of the many
Ngā mihi
Dr Andrew Collins
Urumatua o te Kura | Head of School
School of Optometry and Vision Science
HealtheX 2023
Photo: Paul Idowu, winner of the Poster Presentation First Runner Up Award The Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences hosted the 17th annual HealtheX conference on 8 September 2023. This is a student-led conference which showcases oral presentations, poster...
Year 13 Koneferensisi & Clinical Discovery Expo
On Friday 23 June, the Grafton Atrium successfully hosted the first Year 13 Health Academies Conference and Clinical Discovery Expo targeted at schools’ "Health Science Academies” programme, which is currently administered by Te Whatu Ora in partnership with key...
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference keynote presentation
Renata Watene provided a keynote presentation at the prestigious National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference, which was held in May 2023 in Dharug Country, Parramatta, based on her renowned work in indigenous eye health in Aotearoa. Renata is...
HRC Emerging Researcher First Grant
Congratulations to Dr Rebecca Findlay, who, with support from Jo Black, Jason Turuwhenua, Claudia Rivera (Science), Nina Hood (Education and Social Work), and Misty Edmonds (Iwi United Engaged), has won a prestigious HRC Emerging Researcher First Grant. These highly...
Staffing Update – May
Congratulations go to two parents this month: 1) To Renita Martis on the birth of her baby (Phoebe, born Thursday 11 May) 2) To Robert Ng on the birth of his baby (Nathan, born Friday 12 May) This month we are also very pleased to welcome two new key staff members:...
Staffing update – March
We welcomed the following people to the school in the last few weeks: Emily Benefer – PTF Dispensing Optician on Wednesday and Thursday on the Vision Bus Aotearoa Donald Crichton – returning to role as Dispensing Technician to cover for Emily in the clinic Alehandrea...
Part V Workshop Week 2023
Photo: Part 5 Optometry student James Hwang measuring peripheral visual fields on Camille Guy. Each year new Part V students participate in a range of specialist workshops which have been spread out through the first semester. In 2023 for the first time these...
Staffing Update
Farewell With great sadness we say farewell to Soheil Doustkouhi, who has been an integral part of the school for five years with his PhD studies followed by working as a research fellow with Steven, during which time he also provided valuable teaching in the BOptom....
Eye Health Care in the Pacific
Our Community Eye Health Team sees two exciting projects get underway. Eye Health Care in the Pacific: The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ is collaborating with the University of Auckland in a project to determine the state of eye health care in the Pacific region....
February News
Here are a few recent activities and news items from around the school: Associate Professor Monica Acosta is continuing to work on refreshing the school’s postgraduate courses, the aim being to offer a range of 15-point courses which students in masters programmes...
Head of School Message
Monday 27 February marks the beginning of semester one teaching for students in Parts II to IV of the BOptom programme. I would like to extend a warm welcome to all our new Part II students and congratulate them on admission to the optometry degree. I would also like...
End of year message from Head of School
As we come to the end of another challenging year that has seen us having to adjust to the disruptions of COVID circulating in the community, I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to all the staff, academic and professional, that make up our School,...