Eye Grants

Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology-AFER/Merck Innovative Ophthalmology Research Award

Thanks to a generous grant from Merck & Co., Inc., AFER is pleased to offer this series of biennial awards. The IORA encourages young researchers to undertake investigative work in critical areas of ophthalmology that may one day lead to meaningful improvements to patients' lives. It is open to researchers aged 45 years or younger who hold an MD, a PhD or an equivalent doctoral level degree. The awards are worth $70,000 per cycle.

Nominations for the 2011 ARVO-AFER/Merck Innovation Ophthalmology Research Awards have been extended to November 15, 2010.

2011 Awards and topics

The ARVO-AFER/Merck Innovation Ophthalmology Research Awards are based upon a single paper that has been published or is scheduled for publication in a peer-reviewed journal between January 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010, and is relevant to one of the two 2011 topics:

Topic 1: Stem Cell Applications to Eye Disease

* One First Place Award of $25,000
* One Second Place Award of $10,000

Topic 2: Immunology and Insight into Eye Disease

* One First Place Award of $25,000
* One Second Place Award of $10,000

In addition to the monetary awards, the recipients will be recognized at the Keynote Session of the 2011 ARVO Annual Meeting, May 1–5, 2011 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A luncheon will also be held in their honor with prominent members of ARVO, AFER and Merck.

Eligibility
Eligible nominees must meet the following requirements:

* 45 years of age or under at the time the paper is published
* Hold an MD or PhD degree at the time paper is published
* Must be first author on the paper
* Paper must be original and published (or be scheduled for publication) in a peer-reviewed journal between January 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010.

Although a paper may have several authors, only the first author may be nominated. The first author must be the primary investigator. If the paper has several authors, letters must be obtained from all of the other authors acknowledging the first author as the primary investigator and, therefore, the nominee for the Award.

* Individuals may nominate themselves or others may nominate them once the paper has been published.
* The Review Panel must have no-cost access to the published articles.

Nominations must specify the name of the head of the hospital department or laboratory where the research was conducted (which may not necessarily be where the candidate is currently located).

Review process

A Review Panel of internationally recognized experts convened by ARVO will review all papers based on the following criteria:

* Originality
* Scientific rigor
* Experimental design
* Soundness of conclusions

The Review Panel will submit its recommendations to the AFER Board of Governors and the ARVO Board of Trustees for final selection. The deliberations of the Review Panel and the Boards are considered confidential, and their decisions are final.

Timetable
April–November 15 2010 Nominations accepted
November 15–January 2011 Nominations reviewed and evaluated
February 15, 2011 Completion of Review Panel deliberations and submission of recommendations to the ARVO and AFER Boards
March 1, 2011 Notify awardees and announce winners
May 1, 2011 Awards presented at the ARVO Annual Meeting

All nominations must be received no later than 11:59pm EDT, November 15, 2010.

For additional information, please contact, Barbara Hollis ( +1.240.221.2940).

Association for Research in Vision And Ophthalmology (ARVO)
1801 Rockville Pike, Suite 400
Rockville, MD 20852-5622

Phone: +1.240.221.2950
Fax: +1.240.221.0370

2010 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology/Pfizer Collaborative Research Fellowships

Supported by a grant from Pfizer, Inc. to the ARVO Foundation for Eye Research

All applications must be submitted online by 11:59pm ET, September 15, 2010

Notification: December 1, 2010

Purpose: To support the development of a new, or an established (no more than one [1] year old), collaborative research project between a a non-US researcher (Applicant) and a US researcher (Collaborator).

Applicant Eligibility: Applicant must be a citizen of and working in an economically emerging country that has the capacity to support eye research beyond a one-time project.

Collaborator Eligibility: A US Collaborator may only be selected for one collaboration fellowship per year.

Funds Available and
Number of Awards: Two (2) Fellowships of up to $10,000 each will be awarded. The amount of each award depends upon the budget submitted, with $10,000 being the maximum amount available. The approved funds will be paid as an honorium and will be sent directly to the Applicant to be used for expenses in either location as determined by the two collaborators. Any related taxes are the responsibility of the recipient. Only one award will be awarded annually to any department/institution.

Funding Period: Funding period is for one year and cannot be renewed or extended.

VISTAKON Research Grants

Purpose

To encourage talented persons to pursue full-time careers in optometry, the American Optometric Foundation (AOF) is now accepting proposals for two research grants sponsored by VISTAKON®, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. The AOF, in conjunction with the American Academy of Optometry Research Committee, will award these competitive grants to fund basic or clinical research in the area of soft contact lenses.
Awards

Two one-year awards: $25,000 and $10,000. All funds, as per policy of the Foundation, will be issued in U.S. currency.

Eligibility

The $25,000 award is open to all persons in optometry and vision science. In 2009 the winner was chosen from a pool of 15 very competitive applicants.

The $10,000 award is limited to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows no more than five years from their terminal degree. Eight applications were received in 2009.

Application Deadline

The deadline for applications is September 3, 2010.

Application and Review Procedures

Each proposal must be submitted electronically and contain the following components.

* Cover page; project title, institution, name and title including degree for Primary and Secondary Investigator.
* Introduction; background and significance; specific aims; preliminary studies; and study design and methods. These sections should total no more than 5 pages.
* References (maximum of 1 page)
* Budget and budget justification (maximum of 1 page) *No Overhead or indirect cost.
* Biographical sketch(es) of Principal and one co-investigator only (maximum of 2 pages for each investigator) and must include:
o Full contact information
o Education/training; research and professional experience; honors and awards
o Publications (refereed) for the last three years and representative earlier publications

Applications that do not follow this outline will not be considered.

Proposals are reviewed by a peer review committee established by the American Academy of Optometry's Research Committee.

Application Submission

All proposals must be submitted by email to: Email AOF Awards and contain in the subject title: Vistakon Research Grant.

Applicants will receive a confirmation receipt by email from the Foundation within 24 - 48 business hours after submission. Files exceeding 10 MB must be broken into separate smaller units to allow passage through internet security measures.

Costs

The AOF is a non-profit organization and our policy is not to cover any overhead/indirect costs associated with Vistakon Research Grants or any other of our programs. This policy applies uniformly to all award recipients.

Award Conditions

Funds support research conducted for a period of one year. Recipients must submit a minimum 500 word report of their research findings to the AOF at the end of the award period in order to be eligible for subsequent awards.

Any manuscript or publication material produced must acknowlege the American Optometric Foundation and Vistakon.

Recipients are also encouraged to submit a manuscript to Optometry and Vision Science.

For additional information, contact Tracy Kitts, Foundation Coordinator at the American Optometric Foundation: (301) 984-4734 or Email AOF Awards

American Optometric Foundation
6110 Executive Boulevard, Suite 506
Rockville, MD 20852

Tel: 301-984-4734

Fax: 301-984-4737
AOF@aaoptom.org

The J. Pat Cummings ACUVUE® Scholarship

Until recently this scholarship was known as the ACUVUE® Eye Health Advisor Student Citizenship Scholarship. Following the tragic death of Dr Cummings, Vistakon and the American Optometric Foundation decided that the scholarship should be renamed in his honor. This J. Pat Cummings ACUVUE® Scholarship is conferred annually to a second or third year optometry student at each of the U.S. and Canadian schools and colleges of optometry who best demonstrates the ideal eye care standards of practice. To qualify, the recipient must demonstrate achievement in both academic performance and extra-curricular activities, along with other professional pursuits such as involvement with patients through internships, community service, and other volunteer activities.

Scholarship
One $1,000 scholarship toward academic expenses and personalized plaque to a second year or third year student at each of the schools and colleges of optometry in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Purpose
To recognize outstanding student clinicians who best exemplify ideal eye care standards of practice.

Eligibility
Second or third year students attending a school or college of optometry in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico are eligible.

Criteria
Scholarship recipients will be selected based on academic and extra-curricular achievements, along with other professional pursuits such as involvement with patients through internships, community service, and other volunteer activities. Recipients will best exemplify ideal eye care standards of practice, including: (a) the importance of eye health; (b) proper contact lens wear and care; (c) community service and volunteerism.

Selection
The appropriate award selection committee at each of the schools/colleges of optometry will select the one student who meets the eligibility requirements and best demonstrates the qualities detailed in the above criteria.

Submission and Deadline
Nominations must be submitted electronically by e-mail with subject line: J. PAT CUMMINGS ACUVUE® Scholarship by COB September 10, 2010.

For additional questions or information, contact Tracy Kitts, Foundation Coordinator, at 301-984-4734.

Essilor Optical Technology Grants

The American Optometric Foundation (AOF) and Essilor are delighted to announce their partnership on the Essilor Optical Technology Grants program, now in its eighth year. Three $20,000 grants are awarded annually to optometry schools for projects intended to elevate the standards and visibility of ophthalmic dispensing to students and patients in the training environment. In the past, grants have been competitively awarded for projects as diverse as to facilitating education and training for clinical outreach in underserved areas, to updating education in teaching and dispensing clinics and providing laboratory equipment that enriches the students training experience. This is part of a commitment by the Foundation and Essilor to develop the next generation of eyecare professionals.

Application Procedures
Applications must be submitted by email to Email AOF Awards. Only one application may be submitted by each school or college of optometry and must be endorsed by the Dean or President of the school/college. The application must include full contact information for the institution and responsible individual.

In 1000 words or less the applicant should state how the grant will be used to further their educational program. The deadline for applications is September 17, 2010.

A 500 word progress report must be submitted by awardees in June of the subsequent year in order for the institution to be eligible for future Essilor Optical Technology Grants. No institution will receive a grant two years in a row.

Review Procedures
Applications will be judged on the school’s commitment to the growth of premium optical technology, as well as how the funding will enable the school to elevate the standards and visibility of ophthalmic dispensing for students and patients. A five-member review panel, including one representative form Essilor, will be convened by the American Optometric Foundation.

Recognition of Awardees
The awardees will be listed in the AOF Annual Report and the American Academy of Optometry’s awards program. Announcements will be placed in the Academy’s newsletter along with Eye-Mail Monthly. Press releases will be sent to all schools and colleges of optometry, optometric organizations, and the optometric press.

For additional information about the American Optometric Foundation, contact Mark Bullimore, MCOptom, PhD, FAAO, Development Director: by phone (614) 292-4724.

2011 David & Julianna Pyott Pan-American Retinal Research Fellowship

Application Deadline: February 16, 2011

NOTE: Applications MUST be submitted by email. Acceptable file formats include DOC, PDF, HTML, JPG.
Program Description: One fellowship in the amount of $20,000 per annum is offered every two years for a fully-qualified Ophthalmologist from a Latin American country outside Brazil and Mexico, to spend 2 years at the University of California, Irvine, Department of Ophthalmology as an international retina fellow participating in research and clinical work under the supervision of Dr. Baruch Kuppermann, Professor Ophthalmology. Applicants should have completed a residency in Ophthalmology, speak fluent conversational English, and be interested in a career in Retina.

Program Preceptors/Faculty:
Program Director: Baruch Kupperman MD

Applicant Qualifications: The following qualifications for a successful candidate are as follows:

1. General ophthalmologist, no more than 2 or 3 years out of his/her residency training program, from Central or South America (outside Mexico and Brazil), or the Caribbean.
2. Fluent in both written and spoken English.
3. Willing to commit for two years of training.
4. Completion of a recognized ophthalmology residency in Latin America.
5. Established medical and surgical competence.
6. Highly recommended by chairperson and training program director.
7. Commitment to return to Latin America at conclusion of fellowship training program.
8. The candidate must be a member of the PAAO.

Pan American Association of Ophthalmology
1301 S. Bowen Rd., #365
Arlington, TX 76013
Phone: (817) 275-7553
Fax: (817) 275-3961
Email: info@paao.org

Pan-American Ophthalmological Foundation General Research Grant

Grant requests may be submitted to the PAOF. These projects are in the areas of education, research, and /or community service. The grant request applications are sent to a Review Committee for a rigorous review and the average grant is US$10,000. The main author must be a PAAO Active member. The PAOF will receive grant applications only by email to info@paao.org. Receipt deadlines for grant applications are March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31.

Pan American Association of Ophthalmology
1301 S. Bowen Rd., #365
Arlington, TX 76013
Phone: (817) 275-7553
Fax: (817) 275-3961
Email: info@paao.org

Pan-American Ophthalmological Foundation General Research Grant

Grant requests may be submitted to the PAOF. These projects are in the areas of education, research, and /or community service. The grant request applications are sent to a Review Committee for a rigorous review and the average grant is US$10,000. The main author must be a PAAO Active member. The PAOF will receive grant applications only by email to info@paao.org. Receipt deadlines for grant applications are March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31.

Pan American Association of Ophthalmology
1301 S. Bowen Rd., #365
Arlington, TX 76013
Phone: (817) 275-7553
Fax: (817) 275-3961
Email: info@paao.org

Scholarship Program for College Bound High School Students Who Are Legally Blind

The Jewish Guild for the Blind has created an annual scholarship program for college bound high school students who are legally blind . Applications will be accepted from students at the end of their junior year, with recipients selected and scholarships awarded the following academic year.

The GuildScholar Program will award 12 to 16 scholarships of up to $15,000 each.

Calendar
Application and supporting documents must be at The Guild by September 15th (at the beginning of the senior year).
Scholarship recipients announced by mid December semester break.
Scholarships will be awarded by June 15th.

Award Criteria
1. Completion of the GuildScholar Online Application.
2. Proof of legal blindness: Verification should be in the form of a statement from a state rehabilitation agency, an ophthalmologistor an optometrist.

3. Proof of US citizenship: A passport, birth certificate, naturalization papers or proof of legal residency.
4. Documentation of academic achievement: Copies of school transcripts and copies of SAT and/or ACT results.

Please note: Numbers 2, 3 and 4 above, must be submitted in one ofthe following formats: tif, jpeg or pdf.

5. Three letters of recommendation: Two letters should attest to the candidate’s academic skills. Each letter must include the name, address and telephone number of the person writing the reference.
6. Two personal statements: One describing the educational and personal goals of the applicant (500 words or less) and the second describing the influence of an outstanding teacher on the applicants education.

Please note: Numbers 5 and 6 above, must be submitted in Microsoft Word.

7. Your chosen college must be accredited by a body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
8. All college admissions policies must be non-denominational and open to applicants of all religions, faiths and beliefs.

The GuildScholar application is an online process. All supporting documents should be scanned and forwarded electronically as attachments to the application.

To request additional information, please contact:

Gordon Rovins
Phone: 212-769-7801
E-mail: guildscholar@jgb.org