Josh Wallman Memorial / Zeiss Young Investigator Award Lecture
There are likely no myopia researchers who have not read a paper from Josh Wallman’s myopia research laboratory and there would be few myopia researchers who did not cross the path of Professor Josh Wallman, before his untimely death on March 3, 2012, when he succumbed to pancreatic cancer. A long-term senior faculty member of City University of New York, Josh pioneered the use of the avian model for understanding eye growth and made invaluable contributions to vision research and the field of myopia. For young researchers, he will be remembered for his enthusiasm for science and interest in and promotion of their work. The newly established Josh Wallman Memorial Lecture acknowledges both his contribution to myopia research and support for junior researchers. The Josh Wallman Memorial lecture represents one of 2 keynote presentations to be given at this year’s IMC.
Eligibility is restricted to active junior myopia researchers, who completed within the last 10 years their PhD or equivalent research degree, or myopia research training (for non-related PhD research), and who would be considered to have made a significant contribution to the myopia research field.
Josh Wallman past award recipients: Dr Regan Ashby, Australia (2013), Dr Scott Read, Australia (2015), and Dr Sandra Benavente-Perez, USA (2017), Dr Virginie Verhoeven, The Netherlands (2019). The Josh Wallman memorial lecture at IMC 2022 will be given by dr. Jason Yam.
Chew Sek-Jin Memorial Lecture (sponsored by Cooper Vision)
The Chew Sek-Jin Memorial lecture is named in the memory of Dr. Sek Jin Chew, who died at the age of 39 years of complications from surgery for a brain tumor. He was a Professor of Ophthalmology at the Singapore National Eye Center and Deputy Director of the Singapore Eye Research Institute. Sek received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Rockefeller University in New York, where his close friendship and scientific collaboration with Josh Wallman also began. Together they worked to resurrect the International Myopia Conference series, which had been earlier attached to the now long defunct Myopia International Research Foundation, for which Dr Chew served as President.
The Chew Sek-Jin Memorial lecture represents one of 2 keynote presentations to be given at the IMC. By tradition, it is given by a senior myopia researcher whose work has made a significant impact on the field.
Chew Sek Jin past award recipients: Josh Wallman, USA (2006), Terry Young, USA (2008), Tom Norton USA (2010), Seang Mei Saw, Singapore (2013), Frank Schaeffel, Germany (2015), and Christine Wildsoet, USA (2017), Professor Smith, USA (2019). The Chew Sek-Jin Memorial Lecture at IMC 2022 will be given by dr. Joan Bailey Wilson.
