The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) is expanding its scope by applying its nearly 40 years of research experience to a broader range of fields. As part of this shift, a steering committee will take over from Dr. Lyndon Jones, who is stepping down as director and moving to a new position of principal scientist.
Incoming director Dr. Ben Thompson has a record of research excellence and visionary leadership. A professor at the School since 2014, he is committed to further advancing the goals laid out in the School's strategic plan, continuing its strong partnership with the optometric profession and increasing the School's research impact.
In his last director’s message for this newsletter, Dr. Stanley Woo looks back over his eight years leading the School of Optometry and Vision Science – and at the spirit of collaboration that enabled many accomplishments and set in motion multiple developments that promise to advance optometry and vision science in Canada.
Learn what your classmates have been up to and get inspired by the activities of alumni from other cohorts! Want to submit an update of your own? Please use the Class Notes form to tell us your news and include an optional photo.
Dr. Gerry Leinweber (OD '80) has started many initiatives – an international vision care charity, a Central Alberta practice with three locations, a national optometrists’ co-op and a consulting business for optometry practices. It might have been some hockey goals in his youth that helped start him down his path of leadership.
Eyenova Biotech, an award-winning Waterloo-Hong Kong start-up, aims to improve early-stage eye drug testing by creating an ‘eye on a chip’ – a preclinical testing platform that replicates the complexity of the eye’s cellular environment and performs multiple tests at once, which saves time, costs and animal testing.
Dr. Sarah MacIver (OD ’10), an associate clinical professor, is an emerging leader in advocating for scope modernization and continuing professional development. Learn how her residency in New York State, where she collaborated extensively with other health-care professionals, helped her see the role optometrists could play in ocular disease care.
Dr. Stanley Woo gives an update on the School’s activities during the conference season, including a special invitation to CE Weekend & Alumni Reunion (June 6-7 in Waterloo). Spring brings many opportunities to connect with the profession across the country.
As construction begins on the transformative Waterloo Eye Institute, the School of Optometry and Vision Science's clinic will temporarily relocate. The interim location, just minutes away, will continue offering comprehensive eye care and specialized services with the same level of excellence while providing quality clinical education to our optometry students.
We bid a heartfelt farewell to Andrea Carthew, longtime Associate Director, Advancement whose dedication and hard work have been invaluable to our School and the optometric profession for the last 20 years. Andrea is pursuing a new opportunity at the University of Waterloo Faculty of Health as the new Director of Advancement.