Campus News

Posted 10/30/06
2007 Verriest Medalist: Barry Lee

Posted 7/31/06
Members of Presidential Search Committee

Posted 7/21/06
SUNY Graduate Student Receives EZELL Award

Posted 6/28/06
SUNY Chancellor Names David Bowers Officer in Charge of the College of Optometry

Posted 6/07/06
Graduate Students Selected to Receive $1000 Award from the Minnie Turner Flaura Foundation

Posted 1/26/06
SUNY Board Names John B. Clark Interim President of Optometry

2007 Verriest Medalist: Barry Lee

This award is bestowed by the Society to honor long-term contributions to the field of color vision. Professor Lee is an innovative multidisciplinary scientist who has had an extraordinary record of productivity. He has made significant contributions to our understanding of basic coding mechanisms in visual processing and is recognized for his efforts at bridging the gap between psychophysics and physiology. In addition, through collaborative efforts, he has been at the center of the great advances that have been made in the last 20 years in unraveling the relations between structure and visual function in the retina. Finally, the Society recognizes his long-term service to the society, as member of the board of directors, meeting organizer and proceedings editor.

More information about the 2007 ICVS biennial symposium in Belem, Brazil, at which Barry Lee will give the Verriest Lecture and the medal will be presented, can be found at www.ufpa.br/icvs2007

Members of Presidential Search Committee

Ms. Gretchen Stone, Chair of the College Council and Search Committee, has finalized the selection of the Presidential Search Committee.

Faculty Representatives
Ida Chung (at large)
Robert Duckman (Clinical Sciences)
Richard Madonna (at large)
Catherine Pace (Clinical Sciences)
Mark Rosenfied (at large)
Harry Wyatt (Biological Sciences)

Academic Dean
Steven Schwartz

College Council
Gretchen Stone (Chair of Search Committee)
Robert Krall
Frank Pirrozzolo
James Ruhl

Student Representative
Rebecca Marinoff

Staff Representative
Liduvina Martinez-Gonzalez

OCNY (Foundation)
Claudia Rouhana

Alumni Representative
Susan Danberg

SUNY GRADUATE STUDENT ECEIVES EZELL AWARD
NEW YORK, NY

MAJ. Jose Capo-Aponte, O.D., M.S., a Ph.D. candidate at the SUNY College of Optometry has been awarded the 2006 - 2007 William C. Ezell Fellowship by the American Optometric Foundation. ( AOF)

The recipients of this prestigious award are selected on the basis of excellence in scholarship, research and teaching. Named after the founding President of the AOF, William C. Ezell, O.D., the fellowship is designed to encourage talented post-graduate students to pursue full-time careers in optometric research and education in schools and colleges of Optometry.

“ The AOF has a distinguished and long history of supporting promising young researchers and educators, including several current members of our faculty. We are proud of Dr. Capo-Aponte’s accomplishment and are confident that his work with Dr. Reinach will lead to important scientific contributions,” said Dr. Steven Schwartz, Vice President for Academic Affairs at the College.

Dr. Capo-Aponte , a graduate of the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, School of Optometry , is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Vision Science working with Dr. Peter Reinach, a noted vision scientist in the area of corneal physiology. Dr. Capo-Aponte is a Major in the U.S. Army, having served as the former Chief of the Optometry Service at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

He, along with ten other fellowship recipients, will be honored at the AOF’s annual Research Luncheon on Dec. 10 during the American Academy of Optometry’s Annual Meeting in Denver.

SUNY Chancellor Names David Bowers Officer in Charge of the College of Optometry

Albany - State University of New York Chancellor John R. Ryan today appointed Mr. David Bowers, Vice President for Administration and Finance at the State University College of Optometry officer in charge of the campus while the search for a permanent president for the campus continues.

"Dave Bowers has earned the respect of the college community over the years with his thoughtful and efficient management style. He has successfully worked with a variety of campus constituencies, from Optometry's research scientists to the College Foundation Trustees, to the great benefit of the institution. He brings a unique, multifaceted understanding of the institution to his position as officer in charge," said Ryan.

Ryan made the appointment after the SUNY Board of Trustees voted to name Dr. John B. Clark Interim President of Alfred State College. Ryan's appointment of Bowers is effective July 1, 2006.

Bowers, a resident of Port Jefferson Station, NY, has been Vice President at the SUNY College of Optometry since 1988. Prior to joining the College, he served as the Associate Dean for Administration and Finance at the School of Medicine, Stony Brook University for nine years.

During his tenure at SUNY Optometry, he has overseen major capital construction projects, institutional finances and budget, and facility administration. He is a past President and Vice President of the SUNY Business Officers Association.

A graduate of the University of Virginia, School of Architecture, where he received a Master of City Planning Degree, Bowers also earned a Master of Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating more than 414,000 students in 7,669 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu

Graduate Students Selected to Receive $1000 Award from the Minnie Turner Flaura Foundation

The following full-time graduate students in Vision Science here at the College have received each a $1000 award from the Minnie Turner Flaura Foundation for their proposed research projects. The Minnie Turner Flaura Foundation provides award funding for vision research projects related to low vision, rehabilitation.

José E. Capó-Aponte, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O.
Title: Functional and molecular characterization of multiple K-Cl
cotransporter isoforms in human corneal epithelial cells
Advisor: Dr. Peter S. Reinach

Zan Pan
"Differential Effects of MAPK Limb Activation on Hypotonicity-induced Regulatory Volume Decrease in Corneal Epithelial Cells"
Advisor : Dr. Peter S. Reinach

Xu Siyi
" Regulation of gap junctional communication in corneal epithelium cell after Lipopolysaccharide simulation".
Advisor: Dr Miduturu Srinivas.

Balamurali Vasudevan
"Structural and Functional Aspects of Near Induced Transient Myopia"
Advisor: Dr Kenneth Ciuffreda

Bin Wang
"Changes in blur perception and accommodation after LASIK surgery in myopes"
Advisor: Dr. Ken Ciuffreda

Chong Weng
" Influence of contrast on the spatial properties of cells in the visual thalamus"
Advisor: Dr. Jose-Manuel Alonso.

Fan Zhang
"Vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR1)-mediated proinflammatory cytokine production in
human corneal epithelial cells"
Advisor: Dr. Peter S. Reinach.

SUNY Board Names John B. Clark Interim President of Optometry

For Immediate Release: Wednesday Jan. 25, 2006

Albany – The State University of New York named Dr. John B. Clark interim president of the College of Optometry yesterday at its regularly scheduled Board meeting.

“I am delighted to support this appointment,” said Board Chairman Thomas F. Egan. “John Clark has proven his worth as a leader at the State University of New York time and time again, and I anticipate he will continue to build on his fine record as the interim president of the College of Optometry.”

“John Clark has demonstrated his effectiveness at two SUNY campuses and at System Administration,” said SUNY Chancellor John R. Ryan. “John’s inclusive and collaborative style of leadership and his passion for higher education have made him successful. I expect he will be able to work very well with the outstanding group of faculty, staff and students while he leads the College of Optometry.”

“I am very grateful to the Board of Trustees and to Chancellor Ryan for the opportunity to work with the wonderful students, faculty and staff of the College of Optometry,” said Clark. “Together we can continue to provide an outstanding professional education, excellent patient care to the greater New York metropolitan community and critical vision science research.”

Since Sept. 20, 2005, Clark has been serving as acting vice chancellor of enrollment and university life. He will step down from that position no later than February 1, 2006 upon appointment as interim president of the College of Optometry so that he can devote his full attention to the College.

The Board previously named Clark interim president of the State University College at Brockport on June 22, 2004 and interim president of the College at Plattsburgh May 20, 2003. In both instances he was a highly effective interim leader.

Prior to joining SUNY, Clark had a 17-year Wall Street career in public finance and municipal bond research specializing in health and higher education. He successfully completed financing for hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, life care centers and multi-hospital systems as well as colleges and universities both in New York and nationally.

Previously, Clark served in various capacities at the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, the New York City Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services, the New York State Emergency Financial Control Board and the New York City Housing Authority.

A lifelong student, Clark earned his bachelor’s degree in history, cum laude, from Providence College in 1972. Thereafter he received a Master of Public Administration from John Jay College, CUNY in 1977; a Master of Arts in Economics from Fordham University in 1980; a Master of Arts in Philosophy from New York University in 1984, and a Doctor of Education degree from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2001.

Clark would serve as interim president of the College of Optometry until such time as the Board appoints his successor. He succeeds President Alden N. Haffner who has retired from the College.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating more than 414,000 students in 6,688 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit http://www.suny.edu