Ezell Fellowship Fund

Overview

The flagship program of the American Optometric Foundation (AOF), Ezell Fellowships have been provided for over sixty years. These fellowships support graduate students enrolled in a full-time program of study and training in vision-related research that leads to a Master's or PhD degree.

Since 1947, AOF has awarded more than 250 Fellowships. Among the list of former Ezell Fellows are over 20 deans and presidents of optometric schools and colleges, over 100 faculty members and over 100 Fellows of the American Academy of Optometry, including three of its presidents. It has attracted applications from numerous institutions, and has allowed researchers to focus their talent in many areas of cutting edge research in areas such as glaucoma, dry eye, corneal physiology and, low vision.

Over the years the foundation has been fortunate to receive funding support from the American Academy of Optometry, the corporate sector, and through several private endowments; the Irvin M. Borish Fund, AAO Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses & Refractive Technologies, Mike Daley/Essilor Endowment, Merton C. Flom Leadership Ezell Fund, the Michael G. Harris Ezell Fund, Optometric Glaucoma Society Ezell Fund.

Contribution Form

Unique to this fund, is a very special level of giving by former Ezell Fellows entitled the Ezell Club wherein current and former Ezells are encouraged to give back to the Foundation to support future Fellows. To date, over $250,000 has already been pledged or donated. Please use the pledge form (PDF format) to make a contribution to the Ezell Fellowship Fund.

FOCUS on the Future

Past Ezells: Where Are They Now? Anthony Adams, OD, PhD, FAAO

After becoming an optometrist in Australia (1962), and the following year a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (1963), Anthony ("Tony") Adams was an early AOF Ezell Fellow-- soon after he began his PhD graduate studies at Indiana University in the mid 1960's. After serving 2 years on the faculty of the School of Optometry at Indiana University, he became Assistant Professor of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of California School of Optometry (1968) where he is Professor and Dean Emeritus today. His federally funded research activity continues, and since 2004 he has been the Editor-in-Chief of the leading International Optometry Journal-- Optometry and Vision Science.

In the 50 years since becoming a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) Tony has not let any "moss grow under his feet". He has received numerous awards from the Academy, including its two highest honors, the Glenn A. Fry Award and the Prentice Medal. He served for 16 years on the American Academy of Optometry Board of Directors and was its President for 2 years (1999 & 2000). He earned the Eminent Service Award in 2004. He recently stepped down as President of the American Optometric Foundation and continues to be a special booster and significant donor to AOF. He has a long list of professional awards in education and research, including honorary degrees from three universities. Most recently he was the 2011 recipient of an Honorary Doctorate degree from Indiana University and in 2012 travelled to Australia to receive the prestigious H. Barry Collin Research Medal.

Tony is most proud of the many students he has mentored, and continues to mentor. Most of them have gone on to leadership positions and earned impressive honors themselves. Among those mentored are two Academy Presidents, eight Glenn Fry Awardees, one Prentice Medalist, two Irvin Borish Awardees and 6 Garland W. Clay Awardees. He clearly gets great joy in seeing the success of his colleagues; whom in 2010 honored his mentorship during the San Francisco Academy meeting.

He has always been active in leadership beyond optometry, serving on numerous important national committees in leadership roles (e.g. the National Academy of Sciences Vision Committee, which he chaired, and the committee to nominate the current Director of the National Eye Institute of NIH). He also has served, or continues to serve, on numerous inter-professional Boards and Councils, including the University of California Presidents Council for Health Sciences, the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute in San Francisco, the National Alliance for Vision and Eye Research, and the National Advisory Eye Council of NIH.

Tony credits the AOF William C. Ezell Fellowship for providing critical support of his decision to train as an educator and researcher. As it is for most awardees, he found the timing, the financial assistance and mostly the 'vote of confidence' extremely reassuring and a most important part of what he has found to be a most satisfying career. "The AOF fellowship was and remains a critical investment in the future; I certainly attribute much of my career satisfaction to the award early in my career", he said.


Tony Adams with 2012 UC Berkeley Ezell Fellows William Tuten, Aaron Sullivan, Mariana Garcia, Tatiana Ecoiffier, and Eda Altiok at Academy 2012 Phoenix.	Pediatric Residency Award recipient, Lernik Mesropian, with Dr. Adams at the AOF Celebration Luncheon, Academy Phoenix 2012.