Amy Chow, recipient of the Amit and Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student, 2020

School of Optometry and Vision Science

Amy Chow, a PhD candidate in the School of Optometry and Vision Science, is recognized by students, peers, and faculty members for her enthusiasm towards teaching and dedication to the scientific community. One student described Chow as “born to teach.” Other students noted that her teaching “consistently went above and beyond” and that she is a “phenomenal communicator” who “has an invaluable talent for explaining complex concepts in the most clear and concise way.” Chow does not just teach concepts to her classes; instead, she guides learners using different teaching methods until the concepts resonate with them, often using real-life and personal examples to support her teaching and provide better understandings of the topic. Chow’s dedication to Science and Optometry goes further than the classroom, volunteering to be a clinical supervisor at mock eye exams and sharing her knowledge with learners at the annual Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity workshop. Chow engages with students outside of the classroom with her fun, supportive, and genuine personality to build a close community within the University of Waterloo.

Chow has been a teaching assistant for OPTOM 219, OPTOM 245, OPTOM 262, OPTOM 272, and OPTOM 375.