Skip to main content
School of Optometry
IU

Borish Scholars Program

Awarding excellence through the Borish Scholars Program

The Borish Scholars Program was created in 2015 and named in honor of the legendary clinician-scientist, Dr. Irv Borish, one of the founding members of the Indiana University School of Optometry.

Scholars are invited to lecture at Indiana University, typically occuring during the weekly Oxyopia Vision Science Seminar. Individual and group interaction with faculty and students is emphasized during the visit.

Nominations

Borish Distinguished Scholars are nominated by IU School of Optometry faculty and chosen by the Borish Scholars Selection Committee.

Each year, up to six scholars are selected based on their research and scholarly contributions related to vision, patient care, clinical research, and IUSO's mission and education. 

Past Distinguished Borish Scholars

2023 - 2024

  • Velia M. Fowler, Ph.D., University of Delaware
  • Mickey Goldberg, Ph.D., Columbia University Medical Center

2022 - 2023

  • Alfredo Dubra, Ph.D., Stanford University
  • Donald Mutti, OD, Ph.D., The Ohio State University
  • Michael Twa, OD, Ph.D., Houston College of Optometry
  • John Flanagan, Ph.D., University of California Berkeley

2021 - 2022

  • Crawford Downs, Ph.D., University of Alabama
  • Edward Callaway, Ph.D., The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
  • Richard Mathias, Ph.D., State University of New York, Stony Brook
  • Christina Master, Ph.D., Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

2020 - 2021

  • Due to COVID, there were no recipients this year

2019 - 2020

  • Danielle Robertson, O.D., Ph.D., UT Southwestern University
  • Scott Stevenson, Ph.D., University of Houston, College of Optometry
  • Laurie Wilcox, Ph.D., York University
  • Earl Smith, O.D., Ph.D., University of Houston, College of Optometry
  • Ed Callaway, Ph.D., Salk Institute for Biological Studies
  • Danielle Robertson, O.D., Ph.D., UT Southwestern University
  • Scott Stevenson, Ph.D., University of Houston, College of Optometry
  • Laurie Wilcox, Ph.D., York University
  • Earl Smith, O.D., Ph.D., University of Houston, College of Optometry
  • Ed Callaway, Ph.D., Salk Institute for Biological Studies

2018 - 2019

  • Charles Lin, Ph.D., Harvard University
  • Robert Massof, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
  • Christine Wildsoet, O.D., Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
  • Randolph Blake, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University

2017–2018

  • Robert Marc, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Utah
  • Deborah Ferrington, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
  • David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., Oregon Health and Science University, Casey Eye Institute
  • Cynthia Owsley, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., University of Alabama at Birmingham

2016 – 2017

  • Christine A. Curcio, Ph.D., University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • Artur Cideciyan, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
  • Paul Gamlin, Ph.D., University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • Martin S. Banks, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
  • Nancy McNamara, O.D., Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley; University of California San Francisco

2015 – 2016

  • Eli Peli, M.Sc., O.D., Harvard Medical School, Schepens Eye Research Institute
  • Bruce Cumming, M.D., Ph.D., National Eye Institute
  • Timothy Kern, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University
  • Gordon Legge, Ph.D., University of Minnesota
  • Susana Marcos, Ph.D., Instituto de Optica, CSIC