by Satina Richardson

Dr. Keshia S. Elder, associate professor at the UAB School of Optometry (UABSO), will become the first African American female in the nation to lead a school of optometry. Effective September 1, 2022, she will be dean of the College of Optometry at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL).

by Caleb Jones

Many UAB School of Optometry (UABSO) graduates do a great deal of work to advance the optometric profession in their communities and abroad. One such alumna is Dr. Angela Amedo, PhD. A native of Accra, Ghana who lives in Kumasi, Amedo earned her doctorate in vision science from UABSO in 2005 on a Fulbright scholarship. She returned to Ghana after graduation and has helped advance the profession in the country.

by Satina Richardson

Gerald Simon, OD, received the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award at the 2022 Hooding and Convocation Ceremony. The Dean’s Distinguished Service Award acknowledges leadership and service to the community and the optometric profession.

by Satina Richardson

The Dean’s Outstanding Staff Award was given to Chris Boutwell at the 2022 Convocation and Hooding Ceremony. Boutwell earned the award due to his countless contributions to the school since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

by Satina Richardson

Kelly Forbus and her fiancé Johnny Thompson planned to visit the courthouse to get their marriage certificate processed in time for their formal wedding ceremony the following day. Her work family, however, had alternate surprise plans. They secretly arranged a ceremony on the plaza at the UAB School of Optometry.

Thomas T. Norton, PhD, FAAO, UAB School of Optometry professor emeritus, has been granted an honorary Doctor of Science degree from State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry for making substantial contributions to the advancement of optometry and public healthcare.

by Satina Richardson

The UAB School of Optometry is leading efforts to provide eye and vision care to World Games athletes during the multi-sport international event in Birmingham, July 7-17, 2022.

by Caleb Jones

According to the American Optometric Association, about 89 to 90 million Americans of all ages participate in sports. With many sports, players always assume the risk of some kind of injury, whether it be broken bones, torn ligaments, or damaged muscles. But what happens when a sports injury affects an athlete’s ability to see?

First year students Kimberly Martocci and Samantha Chapman spent their spring break accompanying a group of dental students to provide dental and eye care to people living in the Dominican Republic.

Kelly K. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO, UAB School of Optometry dean, was awarded the Dr. Frank Fontana Career Achievement Award at the 2022 Southeastern Congress of Optometry (SECO). 

The award is named after Dr. Frank Fontana, the first optometrist to receive the lifetime achievement award from Review of Optometry in 2014. Lovingly known by many as “Uncle Frank,” Fontana had a remarkable 70-year career and left an indelible imprint on the profession. He was a friend and mentor to many for generations and passed away at the age of 96 years.

by Janene Sims, OD, PhD, FAAO

For Women’s History Month we would like to recognize three female optometrists who were pioneers of the profession in the state of Alabama. All three of these women were business owners. Two were graduates of the UAB School of Optometry, while the other completed her degree at the Indiana University School of Optometry. Who are these accomplished women?

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees has approved Kent Keyser, PhD, as professor emeritus in the Department of Optometry and Vision Science.

The UAB School of Optometry has welcomed Edmund Arthur, OD, PhD, FAAO, as an assistant professor, tenure-track. Arthur’s research interests pertain to diabetes and dementia, two public health crises in the United States that are associated with huge health-care related costs and societal burden. 

by Satina Richardson

A new residency in ocular disease with an emphasis in refractive and ocular surgery is available through the UAB School of Optometry. Based at the Eye Center of Texas in Houston with four positions available, the program affiliation begins in June 2022 and is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education.

The UAB School of Optometry’s (UABSO) chapter of the National Optometric Student Association (NOSA) has won the 2022 President’s Diversity Champion award given by UAB's Office of the President and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Established in 2006, the annual award recognizes employees, students and organizations that have helped create a more culturally diverse, inclusive university community through their achievements.

by Satina Richardson

Paris Mullins, Jr., OD, class of 1985, opened his practice in May of 1986 and was the single doctor until May of 2021 when his son Nic Mullins, OD, class of 2021, joined him as a partner at the practice. In honor of their shared alma mater and new partnership, Magnolia Place Eyecare’s logo is fashioned after the legacy pins they received at Nic’s graduation from the UAB School of Optometry.

by Satina Richardson

A gift from CooperVision will advance the study of myopia management and contact lenses at the UAB School of Optometry by endowing a faculty scholar position and providing scholarships to students earning OD/MS dual degrees or practicing optometrists pursuing doctorates in vision science. 

by Satina Richardson

Will Mann, a first year optometry student at UAB, plans to be an advocate for his profession when he becomes a practicing optometrist. He took his first step towards this goal by becoming an American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) trustee-elect.

by Caleb Jones

Demetric Jones and Smit Patel, Class of 2025, have been elected as representatives for the Diversify Optometry Program (DOP). Jones will represent the program for the UAB School of Optometry's chapter of the National Optometric Student Association (NOSA), and Patel will represent the program for the School's chapter of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA).