Call for Applications for Awards from Prevent Blindness

Prevent Blindness is inviting submissions for two awards.

Submission Deadline: Friday, February 3, 2023 – noon ET

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. Among the highest honors Prevent Blindness bestows, this prestigious award consists of formal acknowledgement and a commemorative plaque to be presented at the Focus on Eye Health Summit a virtual event on July 12^th or 13^th, 2023.  It further comes with an invitation to present on this work as a Summit speaker.  The award serves as a living memorial to Jenny Pomeroy, who served as the CEO of Prevent Blindness Georgia from 1996 until 2013 and brought a passionate understanding of public health to her work and our mission.

Nomination Criteria:

Nominations may be made for an individual, group, or organization that has made a significant contribution to the field of public health and vision and eye health at the community, state, national, and/or international level. If awarded, the recipient or representative (if a group or organization) must be available to present at the 2023 Focus on Eye Health Summit virtually on July 12^th or 13^th, 2023 to receive the award. Information on previous recipients of the Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health can be found here.

Submission Requirements:

Please note: Submissions not adhering to the guidelines below (page limits, word count, etc.) will not be reviewed.

• Nomination form
• A 500-word (or less) description of why the nominee is deserving of this award. Descriptions should be concise and specific, clearly demonstrate the nominee’s commitment to vision and eye health within the scope of public health, and indicate the number of years the nominee has been working in this area.
• A one-page biographical sketch (NIH format), one-page curriculum vitae of the nominee, or one-page background of the group/organization
• In addition to the above information, you may also provide any additional material that may be relevant to the nomination (please limit this to less than 10 pages provided in PDF format).

The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 3, 2023 at noon ET. For more information, visit https://preventblindness.org/jenny-pomeroy-award-for-excellence-in-vision-and-public-health/.

2023 Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award  

Submission Deadline: Friday, February 3, 2023 – noon ET

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 2023 Focus on Eye Health Summit theme: Why the Eye? This esteemed award consists of formal acknowledgement and a commemorative plaque to be presented at the Focus on Eye Health Summit virtually on July 12^th or 13^th, 2023. The awardee will also be invited to present their essay and related work as a Summit speaker. Information on previous recipients of the Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award can be found here.

Applicant Criteria:

Current student, intern, or resident located in the United States in one of the following fields of study: optometry, ophthalmology, primary health care, nursing, or other health-related field. The awardee must be available to present virtually at the 2023 Focus on Eye Health Summit on July 12^thor July 13^th, 2023.

Submission Requirements:

Please note: Submissions not adhering to the guidelines detailed below (responding to each of the three individual essay section, page limits, word count, etc.) will not be considered for the award.

• Application Cover Sheet: The essay must be submitted with an application cover sheet (template included in this application packet).
• Essay: 500-word essay answering the following topic:

TOPIC: Identify a public health opportunity to advance vision and eye health in the United States through public health policy, practice, or research. Respond to each section below separately with clearly defined sections.

1. Describe the opportunity for vision and eye health and clearly articulate the avenue for advancement (public health policy, practice, or research) (100 words)
2. How will the identified opportunity positively impact vision and eye health in the U.S.? (250 words)
3. Explain the systems or processes that will need to change for the impact to be fully realized. (150 words)

• Curriculum Vitae and Personal Statement: Submit a one-page curriculum vitae containing higher educational accomplishments, work experience, honors, professional memberships, and other related experience. Please include a 200-word personal statement describing the relevant academic, experiential, and leadership training that prepared you for this essay. Click here for an example.
• Letters of Recommendation: Up to two recent letters of recommendation from a professor, employer, mentor or other professional with an advisory or supervisory role in your program of study.  The letter should describe the terms and duration of the relationship with the applicant (two-page maximum for each letter).

The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 3^rd, 2023 at noon ET. For more information, visit https://preventblindness.org/rising-visionary-award/.