Prof Nathan Efron AC, 2022 winner of the peer-nominated ACO National Vision Research Institute Fellowship award

The Australian College of Optometry (ACO) and National Vision Research Institute (NVRI) held its annual general meeting on 30 May to recognise and celebrate those contributing to the optometry profession.  

The virtual event was the first for recently appointed CEO, Pete Haydon, and served to welcome new council member Darrell Baker, a Perth-based optometrist and former Optometry Australia board member. Baker said he was looking forward to continuing his contribution to the profession and optical community “I hope to bring my experience in advocacy, strategy and relationships in that part of the industry to the leadership team. This will be a significant learning experience for me, and I look forward to the challenge, but in the comfort of what I can see is a talented and committed staff and council.” 

Reappointed for another two years, ACO president Rodney Hodge said he was pleased to be part of the diversity of the ACO council and is confident he will contribute in a meaningful way to the delivery of the aspirational goals of the organisation. While reappointed council member Sophie Koh urged existing and potential ACO members to seek council nomination, “The ACO council needs to reflect the diversity of our workforce and the communities we serve. You have the opportunity to make a real impact on the future direction of the ACO.” 

The awards kicked off with NVRI’s Colin Bates winning the ACO member award for outstanding services, while the award for researchers who have made a significant contribution to vision science went to Professor Nathan Efron AC. One of several awards to encourage young professionals, the Nicola Family travel grant for vision research was won by Jordan Siberras, while the outstanding graduate award for ACO certificate in ocular therapeutics was awarded to Rachel Smeal for achieving the highest assessment scores for her graduating year. Australian universities also nominated their outstanding graduates, with Madeline Baker (Deakin), Eilish Devlin (Flinders), Jessica Atme (Melbourne), Ayman Saleh Moussa (UNSW Sydney) and Kristin Parker (Queensland University of Technology) all recognised for their commitment. 

ACO’s 2021 annual report can be viewed at www.aco.org.au/aco-publications.