Advocacy and Outreach Committee
Description
Under the direction of the Board of Trustees, the Advocacy and Outreach Committee (AOC) develops and implements activities that influence research policy and funding decisions globally; increases members’ interest and ability to educate the public and policymakers about the importance of vision research; increases public awareness of ARVO and vision research; and establishes ARVO as a trusted source of information. In addition, the AOC assists ARVO in responding to scientific content of policy discussions relating to research guidelines worldwide. The Committee consists of a mix of MDs and PhDs and should also have strong international representation, including at least two Members-in-Training.
Activities
- Works with ARVO staff to review and recommend policies impacting eye and vision research funding internationally.
- Works with ARVO staff to respond to issues in science and vision-research related policy areas and science funding, where advice of experts is requested from legislative or regulatory offices in the U.S. and other countries.
- Works with ARVO staff to develop initiatives and activities to support members’ capacity to educate and inform external audiences and advocate on behalf of vision research.
- Works with ARVO staff on U.S. and international press and media activities related to science and vision research topics.
- Reviews and selects Science Communication Training Fellowship participants
- Reviews and selects honorees for Advocacy Awards—Achievements in Eye and Vision Advocacy Award and Emerging Advocate Award
- Sponsors Annual Meeting workshops and reviews publications.
- Provides a committee report to the Board of Trustees at its regular meetings.
Resources
Meetings
The Committee as a whole meets during the ARVO Annual Meeting and conducts business via ARVOConnect, e-mail and, if needed, by conference call during the year. Sub-committees meet at least once during the year via conference call or more as projects dictate.
How to Apply: The 2023 applications period closed on Jan. 11, 2023
To be considered for membership on the Committee, please submit an online application consisting of an application statement, plus detail of past ARVO service and/or experience. It is recommended that individuals:
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- Invest time in their application
- Make sure their member information is updated and accurate in ARVOConnect
The ARVO President-elect will make appointments in February/March for the term beginning in May 2022 (additional details will be announced at a later date).
Roster
Chair
Stephanie Watson, MBBS, FRANZCO, PhD
Section: Cornea
Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney
Sydney , Australia
Term: 05/07/2021 - 04/27/2023
Chair-elect (2022-2023)
Kevin Chan, PhD
Section: Visual Neuroscience
New York University School of Medicine
New York , N.Y.
Term: 05/07/2021 - 05/09/2024
Member
Van Lansingh, MD, PhD
Section: Clinical/Epidemiologic Research
Help See Me
Weston , Fl.
Term: 05/07/2020 - 04/27/2023
Member
Ruanne Vent-Schmidt, MSc, PhD
MSc, PhD
Clinical/Epidemiologic Research
Canadian National Institute for the Blind
New Westminster , Canada
Term: 05/07/2020 - 04/27/2023
Member
Helen/Haihan Jiao, PhD
Section: Immunology/Microbiology
University of Melbourne
Melbourne , Australia
Term: 05/07/2021 - 04/27/2024
Member
Jarrod Harman, PhD
Section: Retina
Harvard Medical School & Boston Children's Hospital - Depts. of Ophthalmology
Boston , Mass.
Term: 05/07/2021 - 04/27/2024
Member
Erika Eggers, PhD
Section: Immunology & Microbiology
University of Arizona - Dept. of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering
Tucson , Ariz.
Term: 05/07/2021 - 04/27/2024
Thomas Johnson, III, MD, PhD
Section: Glaucoma
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore , Md.
Term: 05/17/2022 - 05/30/2025
Arathy Kartha, PhD
Section: Visual Psychophysics/Physiological Optics
Wilmer Eye Institute
Baltimore , Md.
Term: 05/17/2022 - 05/30/2025
Whitney Stuard, PhD
Section: Cornea
UT Southwestern
Dallas , Tex.
Term: 05172022 - 05/30/2025
Michael James Gilhooley, MB, PhD, FRCOphth
Section: Eye Movements/Strabismus/Amblyopia/Neuro Ophthalmology
University College London & Moorfields Eye Hospital
, United Kingdom
Term: 05/17/2022 - 05/30/2025
Trustee Liaison
Andrew Taylor, PhD, FARVO
Immunology/Microbiology
Boston University School of Medicine
Boston , Mass.
Term: 05/02/2019 - 05/30/2024
Executive Vice President
J. Mark Petrash, PhD, FARVO
Section: Lens
University of Colorado
Boulder , Colo.
Term: 05/20/2022 - 05/31/2027
Ex Officio
Maureen G. Maguire, PhD, FARVO
Section: Clinical/Epidemiologic Research
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia , Penn.
Term: 05/07/2021 - 05/09/2022
Ex Officio
Iris M. Rush, CAE
ARVO
Executive Director
Manager, Science Communications
Salewa Akintilo
MSGH
ARVO