Call for Applications for Awards from Prevent Blindness

Prevent Blindness is inviting submissions for two awards.

Submission Deadline: Friday, February 5, 2024 – noon ET

Prevent Blindness, the nation’s leading eye health and safety organization, is issuing the call for nominations for the “2024 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health,” and the fifth annual “Rising Visionary Award.” Both awards will be formally presented at the 13th Annual Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Summit on July 10-11, 2024.

The submission deadline for both awards is Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, at noon ET. A volunteer committee will review all nominations and select the award recipients. This committee consists of leaders and professionals in ophthalmology, optometry, advocacy, public health and scientific communities. The award recipients, or representatives (if a group or organization), must be available to present (virtually) at the 2024 Focus on Eye Health Summit.

Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health:

The Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health is presented annually to an individual, group, or organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of public health related to vision and eye health at the community, state, national, and/or international level. The award was created as a living memorial to Jenny Pomeroy, former CEO of Prevent Blindness Georgia from 1996 until 2013, who served as a leader in advancing public health and policy, and was a champion for vision and eye health issues.

Submission requirements for the Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health include:
• Nomination form
• A 500-word (or less) description of why the nominee is deserving of this award.
• A one-page biographical sketch (NIH format), one-page curriculum vitae of the nominee, or one-page background of the group/organization

Applicants for the award may also include any additional material that may be relevant to the nomination.

The recipient of the 2023 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health was Dean A. VanNasdale, Jr., OD, PhD, Associate Professor at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Optometry.

2024 Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award:

The Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award is presented annually to a student or resident in a health-related field who submits the best overall application and essay addressing the 2024 Focus on Eye Health Summit theme, “Being Seen and Heard.” Applicants must be a current student, intern, or resident located in the United States in optometry, ophthalmology, primary health care, nursing, psychology, or another health-related field.

Submission requirements for the Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award include:
• Application Cover Sheet
• Essay: 500-word essay identifying an opportunity in which engaging the preferences, cultural background, and social context of patients and/or caregivers in development of vision and eye health research, programs, or policy can lead to more impactful outcomes.
• Curriculum Vitae and Personal Statement
• Letters of Recommendation

The 2023 Rising Visionary Award recipient was Christina Ambrosino, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

“Both the Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health, and the Rising Visionary Award, provide us the opportunity to recognize the tremendous efforts of those dedicated to improving our nation’s vision and eye health,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We encourage everyone to share our announcement about these awards with their colleagues, program partners, and students, and to submit their nominations or applications today!”.

For more information on the Prevent Blindness Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health and past recipients, please visit https://preventblindness.org/jenny-pomeroy-award-for-excellence-in-vision-and-public-health/. Information on the Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award may be found at https://preventblindness.org/rising-visionary-award/. Or contact Nita Sinha, director of Public Health, at [email protected].