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From The University of Houston College of Optometry

UHCO Vendor Expo
September 30, 2016
UHCO Vendor Expo
UHCO hosted their first Annual Vendor Expo, Saturday, September 29. The event was a great success. Faculty, staff, students and alumni were able to visit with over 15 companies about the latest trends and technology. A huge thanks goes out to our corporate partners: Alcon, Allergan, Bausch & Lomb, CooperVision, Essilor, Guardian Life Insurance, HM General Contractors, HOYA, Johnson &Johnson, Marchon, nJoy Vision, Optovue, UHCo Surgery Center, FERV and Xite Realty.
 
American Diabetes Association's Houston EXPO
September 19, 2016
American Diabetes Association's Houston EXPO
The American Diabetes Association's Houston EXPO included health screenings, cooking demonstrations, information and resources from exhibitors, as well as leading experts talking about diabetes management and prevention.
 
The University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO) provided vision screenings, which included intraocular pressure, and fundus screenings for diabetic retinopathy.  Drs. Pat Segu, Naomi Chun, Marsha Thomas, Susana Moreno and members of the UHCO - Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity Organization (SVOSH), assisted with patient education and performed the screenings. Close to 100 vision screenings were administered by our SVOSH/UHCO volunteers. Healthier vision through education is another way UHCO is Enhancing Vision for Life.

 
Anderson Fair Scholarship Fundraiser
September 12, 2016
Anderson Fair Scholarship Fundraiser
Last month, optometry packed Anderson Fair for fun and music to support UHCO scholarships. Alumni, students and freinds enjoyed performances by Shake Russell and Michael Herne. UHCO and the Foundation for Education and Research in Vision would like to thank the evenings sponsors:Dr. Deborah Bernay '82, Dr. Brian Blount '80, Dr. Glenn Ellisor '84 and Mrs. Clairice Ellisor, Dr. Monika Gibbons '89, Dr. Dean Halleran '79, Dr. Sue Johnson '81, Drs. Jay & Anne Newcomer '88, Drs. Judy Perrigin '78 and Dave Perrigin '69, Drs. Earl Smith '72 and Janice Wenseveen '98, Dr. David Tybor '83 along with, HM General Contractors and PCS-Private Compliance Solutions. For photos of the evening visit: https://www.opt.uh.edu/Gallery/Galleries.cfm?gallery=Anderson%20Fair%202016&year=2016
 
6th Annual Mayor's Back to School Fest
August 22, 2016
6th Annual Mayor's Back to School Fest
On August 13, the University of Houston welcomed over 20,000 students and their parents to the 6th Annual Mayor’s Back to School Fest. This event is a great opportunity for students grades K-5 and their families to experience an array of resources, in the Greater Houston community, to prepare students for the upcoming school year.
 
The University of Houston’s College of Optometry (UHCO), the City of Houston’s Health and Human Services Department, Eye Care for Kids, and Prevent Blindness Texas provided vision screenings to these school-age children.
Two Professorships Added to UHCO
July 29, 2016
Two Professorships Added to UHCO
The most useful tool a College and University has for populating classrooms, laboratories and clinics with exemplary instructors and scholars is named professorships. UHCO announced on July 14, that Jan Bergmanson OD, PhD, FAAO, would hold the first Brien Holden Professorship and Vallabh Das, PhD, would hold the Benedict-Pitts Professorship.

The Brien A. Holden Professorship Endowment will support a faculty member at UHCO who exemplifies the commitment to the profession and the ideals Professor Holden championed throughout his lifetime with regard to vision  science and innovation  and are still being carried out today via the Brien Holden Vision Research Institute.

The Benedict-Pitts Professorship Endowment will support a faculty member at UHCO who exemplifies the commitment to practice management and the ideals Mr. Benedict and Dr. Pitts demonstrated for the optometric profession in all facets.
UHCO Day of Service
August 16, 2016
UHCO Day of Service

UHCO's Class of 2020 is participating in 'A Day of Service' on Saturday, August 20, at the Houston Food Bank. This inaugural event is part of the larger Week of Welcome activities and orientation the Class of 2020 experiences prior to their first days of class. This event will foster new memories and connections for the incoming students with the Greater Houston community, in which they live and serve.

A Day of Service is in honor of the late Dr. J. Davis Armistead, our building's namesake. Armistead was involved with the food bank since its inception over 30 years ago, helping create policies and procedures for the food bank as well as working in the field. Armistead, who lived through the Great Depression era and served in World War II, pointed to the Rotary Club's motto of "Service Above Self" as his motivation for his philanthropic spirit.

Two UHCO Alumnae to receive awards at Academy
July 21, 2016
Two UHCO Alumnae to receive awards at Academy
Rio is not the only place for awards this summer; the awards for The American Academy of Optometry have recently been announced and UHCO’s own Kelly Moore, OD, MS, ’16, and Nimesh Patel, OD, PhD ’12, FAAO, are among the honors.

Moore received the Julius F. Neumueller Award in Optics for her paper, Spherical Soft Contact Lens Designs and Peripheral Defocus in Myopic Eyes. Patel received the Irvin M. and Beatrice Borish Award, which recognizes an outstanding young scientist, or clinician scientist, who has shown exceptional promise to conduct independent research directly related to etiology, prevention, detection, diagnosis, or management of clinical ocular disorders.
UHCO faculty to receive 2016 UH Women & Gender Resource Center Award
July 18, 2016
UHCO faculty to receive 2016 UH Women & Gender Resource Center Award
Amber Gaume Giannoni, OD, ’01, FAAO, has been selected as the 2016 UH Women & Gender Resource Center Distinguished Faculty in the Clinical and Instructional category. The UH Women and Gender Resource Center’s mission is to promote gender equality throughout all areas of the UH community. All award winners will be recognized at an event in August. Congratulations, Amber!
 
TEXOCOP 2016
July 11, 2016
TEXOCOP 2016
This summer’s TEXOCOP (Texas Optometric Career Opportunities Program) was another great success! From May 16th to July 1st, UHCO hosted 16 outstanding undergrads and post-bacs from UH, TAMU, UH-Downtown, Texas State University, UTMB, UTRGV, University of North Texas, UTSA, Jackson State University, and Nova Southeastern University. Coordinated by UHCO Clinical Associate Professor Lanny Shulman, O.D. ’81, Ph.D. ’98, 19 UHCO OPT II, III, and IV students created and led the program’s curriculum and provided the TEXOCOP students with a top-notch, challenging, and intensive crash course into what they can expect as future OPT I students.

 
UHCO '16-'17 Clinical Residents
July 5, 2016
UHCO '16-'17 Clinical Residents
On June 27, the College welcomed the ’16 - ’17 Clinical Residents and Contact Lens Fellow to the UHCO Family. Faculty, staff and administration celebrated our outgoing and incoming residents’ with a reception honor of their milestone. We wish our previous residents the best in their next endeavour and welcome our new residents.