Faculty Awards
The faculty at Berkeley Optometry constitute a prestigious group of educators and researchers. See below for a list of recent awards.
2023 Awards
Ian L. Bailey, OD, MS, FBCO, FAAO
Tony Adams Eminent Service Award | AAO
American Academy of Optometry
Christine F. Wildsoet, OD, PhD, FAAO, FARVO
Honorary Doctorate | QUT
Queenstown University of Technology
Suzanne MJ Fleiszig, OD, PhD, FAAO, FARVO, FAAM
Barry Collin Research Medal | OA
Optometry Australia
Karthik Shekhar, PhD
McKnight Scholar Award | McKnight
McKnight Foundation
Marla Feller, PhD
Elected Member | NAS
National Academy of Sciences
Susana Chung, OD, PhD
2024 Trustee Candidate | ARVO
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Karthik Shekhar, PhD and Shubham Maurya, PhD
National Glaucoma Research Award | BrightFocus
BrightFocus Foundation
2022 Awards
Emily Cooper
Hellman Fellows Award | Society of Hellman Fellows
In support of early career faculty who have shown evidence of their promise for distinction in research.
Jorge Otero-Millan
Postdoctoral Mentoring Award | UC Berkeley
Faculty Award for Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring.
2021 Awards
Gerald Westheimer
Ken Nakayama Meda | Vision Sciences Society
For Excellence in Vision Science.
John Flanagan
OD of the Year | ACCCOS
Alameda Contra Costa Counties Optometric Society Awards for 2021
2020 Awards
Tony Adams
Tony Adams Lifetime Achievement Award | Berkeley Optometry
For distinguished service to optometry.
John Flanagan
President's Award | American Optometric Association
For distinguished service to optometry.
Teresa Puthussery
Hellman Award | Hellman Fellows Fund
In support of research for "Understanding the Functions of the Diverse Output Neurons of the Human Retina."
William Tuten
Hellman Award | Hellman Fellows Fund
In support of research for "Advanced Optical Systems for Measuring Vision at the Cellular Level in the Human Eye."
2019 Awards
Clayton Radke
Ruben Medal | International Society for Contact Lens Research
The Ruben Medal is the highest honor of the International Society for Contact Lens Research, and is awarded by vote of the previous recipients to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field of contact lens-related research.
Martin Banks
Elected Member | National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences — the nation’s oldest and most prestigious scientific organization — recognizes achievement in science by election to membership, and—with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine—provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations.
Austin Roorda
ARVO Gold Fellow | The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
The title of ARVO Fellow is an honor established to recognize current ARVO members for their individual accomplishments, leadership and contributions to the Association.
Teresa Puthussery
Outstanding Mentorship of GSIs | Berkeley Graduate Division
This award recognizes faculty (including both Senate and non-Senate faculty) who have provided GSIs outstanding mentorship in teaching at Berkeley and in preparing for teaching in future careers. Faculty receive this award based on nominations from their GSIs and letters of support from departmental chairs.
2018 Awards
Martin Banks
Tillyer Award | Optical Society of America
The Tillyer Award is presented to a person who has performed distinguished work in the field of vision, including — but not limited to — the optics, physiology, anatomy or psychology of the visual system.
Martin Banks
Fellow Member | Optical Society of America
Elected as a Fellow Member of The Optical Society. Fellow membership in OSA is limited to no more than ten percent of the membership and is reserved for members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics.
2017 Awards
Martin Banks
Otto Schade Prize | Society for Information Display
Named after Otto Schade -- who introduced linear systems analysis to the study of human vision -- this Prize is awarded for an outstanding scientific or technical achievement in, or contribution to, the advancement of functional performance and/or image quality of information displays.
Martin Banks
Honorary Professor | Cardiff University
Cardiff University has conferred the honorary title of "Professor," from the school of Psychology, upon Dr. Martin Banks.
Martin Banks
Borish Scholar | Indiana University, College of Optometry
Scholars are selected based on their history of providing major research and scholarly contributions related to vision, patient care, clinical research, and of interest to Indiana University’s mission and education.
John Flanagan
Distinguished Professor Emeritus | University of Waterloo
The Distinguished Professor Emeritus designation is made to faculty members who have had a distinguished record of service in teaching and research in the University.
Suzanne Fleiszig
Max Schapero Award | American Academy of Optometry
From the Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses and Refractive Technologies of the American Academy of Optometry, this award was established in 1972 to honor the memory of Max Schapero who was a dedicated member of the Section and the Academy.
Kenneth Polse
Dickson Emeriti Professorship | Berkeley Academic Senate
The award honors an emeritus faculty member who has an outstanding record of post-retirement contributions in teaching, research, or public/university service.
2016 Awards
Martin Banks
Charles Prentice Medal | American Academy of Optometry
The Charles F. Prentice Medal is awarded annually to a distinguished scientist or clinician scientist in recognition of a career-long record of advancement of knowledge in vision science. The award is considered to be the most prestigious of the Academy’s awards for achievement in research.
Dennis Levi
Appointed to National Advisory Eye Council | NEI
Professor and former dean of Berkeley Optometry, Dr. Dennis Levi, has been appointed to the National Eye Institute’s Advisory Eye Council (NAEC).
Dennis Levi
Tillyer Award | Optical Society of America
The Tillyer Award is presented to a person who has performed distinguished work in the field of vision, including — but not limited to — the optics, physiology, anatomy or psychology of the visual system.
Austin Roorda
Alcon Award
“This award is one of the most prestigious and high profile awards within vision research; an exceptional achievement for an exceptional scholar,” says Dr. John Flanagan, Professor and Dean for the UC Berkeley School of Optometry.
John Flanagan
Honorable DSc | Aston University
Dean Flanagan received a Hon DSc and addressed the 50th Degree Congregation (Commencement) at Aston University at the historic Birmingham Town Hall.
John Flanagan
Life Fellow | College of Optometrists
The College of Optometrists has invited John Flanagan, dean of UC Berkeley's School of Optometry, to become a Life Fellow of the College in recognition of the outstanding contribution he has made to the profession of optometry. Specifically, the award recognizes Dean Flanagan's contribution to research into glaucoma and diabetic eye disease, and to the development of optometric education in the UK and Canada.
Michael Harris
Berkeley Founders Award | UC Berkeley
Celebrates an alumnus/a or friend who has given long-term distinguished leadership and service to a broad range of academic, athletic, philanthropic, and other programs across the university.
Anthony Adams
Life Fellowship Award | American Academy of Optometry
This award provides recognition to those Fellows who through long-time membership in the Academy have rendered distinguished service to the science and art of optometry.
2015 Awards
Austin Roorda
Garland W. Clay Award | American Academy of Optometry
This award is presented to the author or authors of the manuscript published in Optometry and Vision Science that has been most widely cited in the world of scientific literature in the preceding five years.
Jitendra Malik
Member | National Academy of Sciences
The nation’s oldest and most prestigious scientific organization recognizes Dr. Malik’s distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.
James O’Brien
Oscar for Technical Achievement | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Professor James O’Brien was awarded a technical achievement award (sci-tech Oscar) by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Ralph Freeman
Charles Prentice Medal | American Academy of Optometry
The Charles F. Prentice Medal is awarded annually to a distinguished scientist or clinician scientist in recognition of a career-long record of advancement of knowledge in vision science. The award is considered to be the most prestigious of the Academy’s awards for achievement in research.
Glen Ozawa
Excellence in Optometric Education Award | California Optometric Association
