Image: NZAO Award winners with NZAO president Rochelle van Eysden
On Thursday 11 April 2019 Optometry students, teaching staff from the School of Optometry and Vision Science, and council members from the New Zealand Association of Optometrists (NZAO) came together for NZAO’s annual award ceremony, held at the Cordis Hotel’s Chandelier Room.
NZAO president Rochelle van Eysden opened the evening with a talk about the importance of NZAO in progressing the optometric profession through the years. She spoke of a time when simple diagnostic drugs were not allowed to be administered, and the significant contribution from the NZAO which has led to the fuller scope of practice optometrists enjoy today.
Becoming a member of NZAO has a large number of benefits, amongst which are the collegiality and support as a member of a professional body, and the undergraduate and postgraduate prizes and scholarships available. After the awards were presented, the evening finished with casual socialising and networking over drinks and delicious canapés.
The NZAO Student Award winners for the 2018 year were as follows:
- Most improved student entering BOptom Part IV: Tanisha Kumar
- Most improved student entering BOptom Part V: Jocelyn Cheng
- Leon Garner Award for Top student entering BOptom Part III: Luke Oliver
- Rob Jacobs Award for Top student entering BOptom Part IV: Tiffany Ong
- Michael Kalloniatis Award for Top student entering BOptom Part V: Muthana Noori
- Peg Wood Award (Top student in OPTOM 441: Optometry for Special Populations): Steve Yoo
- 2019 Postgraduate Scholarship: Joyce Mathan