GRADUATE INSTITUTE of OPTOMETRY| Postgraduate Education for Optometrists
Biographies |
| Biographies | |
Dr. John Nishimoto
Dr. Jim MertzDr. Jim Mertz, received a Ph.D in Biochemistry from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina in 1983 and has a bachelor and masters degree in Chemistry from Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina. He received his Doctor of Optometry degree in 2007 from the New England College of Optometry (NECO). He is the author of more than 25 papers in topics related to cell biology and biochemistry. He also has had numerous abstracts and has presented his research work at major conferences. Dr. Mertz prior to joining NECO in 1999. taught at City University of New York, St. Johns University, University of Bridgeport, North Carolina State University, Western Carolina University Physiology, Gross Anatomy, Cell Biology and Histology and Biochemistry. He has been teaching and conducting research at The New England College of Optometry since 1999. He currently course master for Systems Physiology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry and General and Ocular Pharmacology. He also teaches ocular physiology and organizes the board review program for students at the college. Michael Bartschi MS.Optom.; M.M. E.; FAAOMichael Bärtschi graduated with an optometry degree from Olten, Switzerland in 1991. He then completed a Master of Science in Clinical Optometry (Ms.Optom.) in 1997 from Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Philadelphia and in 2001 completed at Masters in Medical Education (M.M.E.) from the Faculty of Medicine at university of Bern in Switzerland. Michael has worked at various practices in Switzerland and since 2003 opened his own private practice in Bern. Some of his current professional activities include working as a consultant optometrists for the Swiss government, examiner for the federal examinations for ophthalmic opticians and optometrists, and clinical investigator for major contact lens industry both in Switzerland and Internationally in the US and Australia. Most recently he has provided lectures in area of optics, eye examinations, eye glass technology and contact lenses at the University Eye Hospital in Basel, Switzerland. In 2002, he has also worked in VISTA clinic in Binningen, Switzerland as an optometrist with contact lens specialization and as a refractive laser surgery assistant. Currently he is involved in the research group of Prof. Flammer at the University Eye Hospital in Basel. Michael has been active with several associations. Some of his activities with the associations include being a board member for the Fellow of the Academy Society of Optometry (F.A.S.O), obtaining his fellowship at the American Academy of Optometry and being a member of the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) and British Contact Lens Association (BCLA). In addition been in the capacity of president and board member for the INTERLENS group, Switzerland. He has published several articles in European Journals and has lectured in the US and Europe related to contact lenses including the American Academy of Optometry Michael Wyss Eidg.Dipl Augenoptik, FAAO, SBAOMichael Wyss graduated with an optometry degree from Olten, Switzerland in 1999. In 2008 he will receive his Masters in Science in Vision Science and Business from Aalen University, Aalen Germany. Michael has worked at various practices in Switzerland and since 1999 has been working at a private practice in Berne. His expertise is in contact lenses. Some of his current professional activities include working as a consultant optometrists for the Swiss government, examiner for the federal examinations for ophthalmic opticians and optometrists, and clinical investigator for major contact lens industry both in Switzerland and Internationally. From 2000 to 2004, Michael has lectures at the Ophthalmic Optics School in Berne in areas of biology, pathology, physiology and contact lenses and currently teaching at The Vision Institute, Prag Tschechein. He has published several articles in European Journals and has lectured in the US and Europe related to contact lenses. In addition he received his fellowship at the American Academy of Optometry in 2004.
Dr. Nina C. MuellerNina Mueller graduated from the University of Aalen/Germany with a Bachelor in Ophthalmic Optics (Dipl.-Ing. FH) in 2001. Following this, she worked in private practice as a Contact Lens Specialist while participating in several research projects for 6 years. In 2007 she received a Master’s degree in Vision Science and Business from the University of Aalen. In 2007, Dr. Mueller moved to the US and enrolled in the Advanced Standing International OD program at the New England College of Optometry (NECO). In 2009, Dr. Mueller received her OD from NECO. While at NECO, she taught Contact Lens laboratories and gave lectures on corneal ectasias and specialty contact lens fitting for second year optometry students. Current clinical work: Dr. Mueller is working as the staff optometrist in a primary care setting at the University Eye Hospital in Basel Switzerland since August 2009. Her primary interests are ocular disease and contact lenses. In addition to seeing patients she is also responsible for the education of the Ophthalmology residents in the areas of contact lenses, ophthalmic optics and physical optics. She is a member of the Verein Deutscher Contactlinsen-Spezialisten and Optometristen (VDCO) and a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. Research activities: Dr Mueller has published several extracts from her theses as posters or papers at the Annual meetings of the American Academy of Optometry related to extended wear Contact Lenses. Dr. William SleightDr. William Sleight received his Bachelor of Arts in German and Zoology at the University of Maine and completed his Doctor of Optometry degree from the New England College of Optometry in 1982. He then went on to complete a hospital based residency at the Veterans Administration Center at the Vancouver division, Oregon. He also obtained certification related to Gerontology in 1985 West Roxbury Massachusetts He is an associate professor at The New England College of Optometry and teaches Advanced Ocular Disease course to 3rd year students. He also works part time as a solo practitioner in Waterboro Maine. Previously he was a clinical preceptor and director of the Mobile Eye Unit and Director of Center for Aging and Vision, clinical preceptor at Brighton Marine Public Health Center and The New England Eye Institute, Boston. Dr. Sleight has been in the forefront of developing innovative methodologies in teaching advanced ocular disease topics which began with problem based teaching, followed by lectures and small group learning, distance learning module on macular diseases which was CD mounted. This lead to a FIPSE grant award to develop interactive CD based teaching for training ocular disease with interactive cases, review objectives, quizzes. This has required extensive work from Dr. Sleight and anterior segment and posterior segment web learning is in the final stages of completion. Most recently he has introduction of digital lecture series on Allergic and Immunological Eye diseases. He has lectured extensively at various meetings and published in various journals. He has received several awards for teaching excellence including faculty of the year, the Foster Namias award, and the Carol Martus award. Dr. Bruce MooreDr. Moore’s career as a pediatric optometrist has been devoted to studying the visual problems and therapeutic options for infants and young children. His optometric career began at the Children’s Hospital Boston Department of Ophthalmology and the Harvard Medical School, where he practiced, taught, and carried out his research interests in pediatric eyecare for 22 years. Dr. Moore assumed the position of the Marcus Professor of Pediatric Studies at the New England College of Optometry in 1997. Dr. Moore has published many papers, chapters, and two textbooks on a variety of subjects in pediatric optometry. His text, Eye Care for Infants & Young Children, published in 1997, became the standard textbook in pediatric optometry for students and practitioners. Dr. Moore is active in research and policy efforts to design effective vision screening programs for infants and young children. He has also been intimately involved in efforts to develop a broader rational and effective program for vision care for young children on a local, state, national, and international level. He is a principal investigator in a National Eye Institute funded multi-center study of vision screening of children, the Vision in Preschoolers (VIP) Study, which aims to develop an efficient and effective battery of vision screening procedures that are applicable to broad use in the preschool population throughout the United States and beyond. Another major research and policy interest of Dr. Moore concerns eyecare for the developing world. Vast segments of the world’s population have little or no access to vision care at any level, and a variety of efforts at the New England College of Optometry and in Central America and Africa have been undertaken to better understand the problems and to identify pathways to solving these problems.
Dr. Barry KranSince 2001, Barry Kran has been the Optometric Director of the New England Eye Clinic at the Perkins School for the Blind. In 2004 he was appointed Chief of the Individuals with Disabilities Service of the New England Eye Institute (NE Eye). The service is currently meeting the needs of children and adults in hospital, clinic and school based clinics. NE Eye is the clinical arm of the New England College of Optometry where he enjoys the rank of Professor of Optometry and an Instructor of Record of a course. He graduated from the State University of New State College of Optometry where he also completed a residency program. Over the years Dr Kran has been in various practice settings (private, hospital based), consulted at a state institution for individuals who are intellectually and developmentally delayed and has lectured nationally and internationally on issues of binocular vision and the evaluation of individuals with visual and other impairments. He is very active in the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired both locally, in the Northeast Chapter, and internationally as Past Chair of the Low Vision Division. In addition to AERBVI, Barry is a member of several professional organizations including the American Optometric Association, the College of Optometrists in Vision Development and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. Over the past 25 years, his he has had numerous publications and scientific presentations with topics ranging from vision efficiency training for adults with macula degeneration, to clinical low vision care at U.S. Schools for the blind, and eye care for individuals with multiple impairments. His current research interests include the improvement of eye care for individuals with intellectual disabilities and cerebral vision impairment. Dr. Graham B. Erickson
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