Postgraduate research news

With the rollercoaster of 2020 and 2021 hopefully behind us, our postgraduate students have continued to excel in 2022. Our students have published over 24 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and have resumed presenting their research at international conferences, both online and physical, including the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Conference, the International Society for Contact Lens Research (ISCLR) Symposium, International Myopia Conference, the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) Conference, International Cornea and Contact Lens Congress, 48th Annual Tow Awards and International Cornea & Contact Lens Congress (ICCLC).

Thesis submissions and Awards

Our congratulations go to the following students who were awarded their PhD in 2022: Praveen Kumar Bandela, Gauri Shrestha, Peter Wagner, Ngozi Chidi-Egboka,  Zahra Tajbakhsh, Vincent Khou, Wilson Luu and Melinda Toomey.

We would also like to congratulate Sultan Alotaibi, Rajendra Gyawali, Madeeha Afzal and Nahida Akter who submitted their PhD theses in 2022.

Awards received 

Congratulations also go to a long list of postgraduate students who received various awards throughout the year: 

• Barbara Hall Fellowship from Australian Graduate Women - Sukanya Jaiswal

• Needs-based scholarship for International Association for Wildland Fire- Sukanya Jaiswal

• Cornea and Contact Lens Society of Australia Dorothy Calborg Research Award - Samrat Sarkar, Azadeh Tavakoli

• UNSW Development and Research Training Grant (DRTG) Scheme - Helen Nguyen, Rene Cheung, Eman Alzghoul

• Top 10 abstract submissions for Australasian Road Safety Conference (ARSC) 2022 - Helen Nguyen

• Best Poster Award - International Cornea & Contact Lens Congress (ICCLC) 2022 - Binod Rayamajhee

• Joe and Janet Barr Early Career Cornea and Contact Lens Research Award - American Academy of Optometry - Binod Rayamajhee

• President’s grant for conference attendance - Applied Microbiology International (AMI) - Binod Rayamajhee

• Student Travel Grant - Australian Society for Parasitology (ASP) - Binod Rayamajhee

• Australian Research Council (ARC) Postgraduate Council Outstanding Research Student Award - Binod Rayamajhee

• Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Science Communication Training Fellowship (#SciCommTF) - Eman Alzghoul

• International Association of Contact Lens Educator (IACLE) Fellowship - Eman Alzghoul

• Covidence Global Scholarship 2022 - Eman Alzghoul

• Covidence Ambassador 2022 - Eman Alzghoul

• International Myopia Conference Travel Grant Award - Tim Fricke

• International Student Travel Award -Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering - Sidra Sarwat

• IMNIS International Mentorship Program - Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering - Sidra Sarwat

• Best Presentation Award, UNSW, Sydney - Sidra Sarwat

• Bert C & Lydia M Corwin Ezell Fellowship - Sidra Sarwat

• International Society for Contact Lens Research (ISCLR) Student Travel Award - Sidra Sarwat

• Fellow American Academy of Optometry - Geetha Sravani - Sidra Sarwat

Postgraduate Club

Postgraduate club continues to run weekly on Thursdays from 4pm to 5pm. A wide range of fantastic speakers and topics have been presented there this year including:

Annual Postgraduate Conference

The 2022 annual postgraduate conference was held on 8-11 August 2022 via a virtual platform. 

30 students presented their research findings across a range of topics including public health, myopia and glaucoma studies, dry eye disease, systemic disease and the eye, and a total of 40 were interviewed as part of the review process. 

The reviews are always a great opportunity to find out the array of research currently being undertaken by research students at SOVS. Many thanks to the following members of the SOVS community who served as panellists: Maria Markoulli (also panel chair), Eric Papas, Ajay Vijay, Judith Flanagan, Simin Masoudi, Juno Kim, Sieu Khuu, Vinod Maseedupally and David Pye.

Congratulations to Sidra Sarwat for her “Best presentation” award and Tim Fricke who was runner-up.

New Postgraduate Research Representatives

This year we thanked Sue Kweon, Fatima Iqbal, Daniel Rafla and Geetha Nakka for their service as postgraduate representatives and welcomed (clockwise from top left) Eman Alzghoul, Binod Rayamajhee, Natalie Eshow and Zeeshan Akhtar as the incoming representatives. 

MPhil

The MPhil is a 1.5-year degree that incorporates coursework and a research project. The completion of an MPhil equates to honours equivalency. You can learn the Mphil here: https://www.optometry.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/conditionsMPhilpolicy.pdf

PhD Opportunities

Are you interested in undertaking postgraduate research? Our school offers a structured postgraduate program consisting of in-house research seminars, developing students methodological, statistical and research skills, and access to internationally recognised researchers, who provide their expertise, knowledge, advice, and guidance. Learn more about our postgraduate program.

Dr Jerome Ozkan

Postgraduate Research Coordinator