The Ulverscroft David Owen Award 2024

  • 24 Nov 2023
  • RCOphth

The 2024 Ulverscroft David Owen Award is now open for applications.

The Ulverscroft Foundation gives financial help to universities which carry out research into the causes of eye diseases. It funds eye clinics, hospitals, schools, libraries and other organisations which help visually impaired people. http://www.ulverscroft-foundation.org.uk/

Since 2007 it has supported the Ulverscroft Vision Research Group (UVRG) at the Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health UCL, funding PhD studentships, clinical research training fellowships and academic posts in key disciplines including ophthalmic statistics, to build a hub for academic paediatric ophthalmology and visual sciences.

In memory of David Owen who chaired the Foundation during this period and shaped its relationship with the UVRG, the Foundation is offering in partnership with The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, an annual prize of £500 in recognition of high-quality research in paediatric ophthalmology and visual sciences to promote academic paediatric ophthalmology. The award recognises the team undertaking the research and is accepted on the team’s behalf by the first author.

Previous recipients:

2023 Dr Ian MacCormick from University of Edinburgh and his co-author from University of Liverpool

2022 Dr Sohaib Riyaz Rufai and colleagues at The University of Leicester Ulverscroft Eye Unit

2021 Lucinda Teoh and the British Childhood Visual Impairment and Blindness Study Interest Group

2020  Amy Gerrish and her co-authors from Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

2019 Lola Solebo and her colleagues including the British Congenital Cataract Interest Group

Application criteria:

  • The first author and senior author should apply together.
  • Either the first or lead author must be an ophthalmologist.
  • At least one of the authors must be a member of the RCOphth.
  • The applicants should be based and have undertaken the research reported at a British institution.
  • The paper must have been published in a peer reviewed scientific journal after 1 January 2021.

Timetable for 2024 award:

  • Applications open: 23 November 2023
  • Applications close: 31 January 2024
  • Announcement of winner: 29 February 2024

Judging panel:

Subgroup of the Academic Sub-committee and the Paediatric Sub-committee

Applications to be submitted to Laurelle Bygraves [email protected] 

Download application form :