Andrew P. Plaxco, OD, MPH, FAAO, has joined the faculty of the UAB School of Optometry as an assistant professor.

The UAB School of Optometry is proud to welcome Heidi Hernandez, OD, as an assistant professor.

Sam Pierce, OD, Class of 1988, has been named executive director of the Alabama Optometric Association (ALOA). With an extensive history of service to the optometric profession, locally, statewide, and nationally, Pierce is well-prepared for this opportunity, which marks a full-circle moment in his career.

Professor Lei Liu, MS, PhD, FAAO, is retiring after 19 years of service to the UAB School of Optometry. His research and teaching interests focused on human psychophysics, binocular vision, eye movement, and low vision.

The UAB School of Optometry offers three dual-degree programs, allowing students to pursue a master’s in public health (MPH), business administration (MBA) or vision science (MS) while earning a Doctor of Optometry degree. Gavin Buba, Class of 2027, is working toward an OD/MS. In a Q&A, he shares why he chose this path.

Lawrence Sincich, Ph.D., professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry was awarded a $2.1 million R01 grant to support a pioneering four-year research project titled “Elementary Cone Photoreceptor Representation in Primary Visual Cortex” by the National Eye Institute.

by Tamarreo Tatum

The National Alumni Society’s Blazer Fast 40 Award recognizes alumni-led businesses that exemplify innovation, leadership and community impact. Valencia Wells, OD, owner of Morris Avenue Eye Care, received the inaugural award.

by Tamarreo Tatum

UAB Optometry’s Private Practice Club was the recipient of the Preston Cup Award given by the Student Optometric Leadership Network. The honor was presented at the annual Student Private Practice Symposium and Leadership Conference.

The UAB School of Optometry’s Residency in Cornea and Contact Lens recently underwent successful re-accreditation with the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE, 1-800-365-2219). This designation confirms that the program meets all ACOE standards with no deficiencies or weaknesses affecting its educational quality.

The UAB School of Optometry has announced that Mallory Wright, OD, has joined the faculty as an assistant professor.

Camille Kim, Class of 2026, earned second place in the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) Optometry Student Bowl powered by EssilorLuxottica. The event is an annual, high-energy quiz competition held during Optometry’s Meeting, where students from optometry schools across the nation compete in a buzzer-based trivia showdown.

by Satina Richardson

The story of Ashlee Sellers and Brian Elliott, UAB Eye Care’s optician supervisor, stands out as a powerful reminder of what happens when compassion, consistency and connection come together.

An evening of celebration turned into a moment of heartfelt surprise for Dean Kelly Nichols at the UAB School of Optometry’s annual Scholarship Dinner, when the Alumni Association announced the creation of a new endowed scholarship in her name.

To expand access to low vision care in Belize, a team of Jamie Hill, OD, Class of  2009, and Ashlin Naquin, OD, Class of 2025, a UAB optometry student at the time, partnered with the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (BCVI) for a weeklong mission focused on training and treatment.

The UAB School of Optometry is proud to recognize one of its most dedicated and impactful faculty members, Katherine Weise, OD, MBA, with the Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Award. This honor celebrates exceptional leadership and service to the school and the optometry profession—and Weise exemplifies both.

Connie Wright, Director of Student Affairs, who has impacted generations of UAB School of Optometry students, was awarded the Dean’s Outstanding Staff award at the 2025 Convocation and Hooding Ceremony.

Tyler Thomas, 26, of Oneonta, Alabama, is blazing a path on many fronts at UAB. This May, he will earn three degrees from UAB: Doctor of Optometry and Master of Science in Vision Science degrees from the School of Optometry, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Collat School of Business.

Sandra Wang-Harris, OD, MPH, FAAO, associate professor at the UAB School of Optometry, has been chosen by the World Council of Optometry (WCO) to deliver the Memorial Lecture in Honor of Karen Sparrow. This is an international award.

Caroline Pate, OD, FAAO, residency program director at the UAB School of Optometry (UABSO), announced the incoming residents for the 2025-2026 academic year and placements for UAB Optometry's class of 2025.