Declares The Beauty of Diversity in Nature and Science
as the guiding principle behind his term
On Wednesday, May 4 Dr. Hans Grossniklaus was formally appointed president of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) - the largest vision research organization in the world. At ceremonies held during the final day of the 2022 ARVO annual meeting in Denver, Grossniklaus officially took the reins from outgoing president Maureen Maguire, PhD and established his theme for next year's annual ARVO meeting to be The Beauty of Diversity in Nature and Science.
The appointment came as no surprise to those who know the longtime clinical pathologist and physician, currently the vice chair for Translational Research at the Emory Eye Center.
Hans's approach to ophthalmic research fully embodies the spirit and potential of translational research,
said Emory Eye Center director and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Allen Beck.
He has dedicated his career to studying and treating patients with ocular melanoma, a life-threatening disease that may be first diagnosed on an eye examination. His work is a testimony to both his commitment to patients and his powerful intellect.
The new title conjured up humbling memories for Grossniklaus.
When I came to Emory, my research mentor was a past president of ARVO, [former director of EEC Research] Dr. Henry Edelhauser-the best translational research scientist in ophthalmology,
he said.
If I aspire to anything, it is to deserve a place alongside the truly great researchers who mentored me - Henry Edelhauser is certainly one, as is Lorenz Zimmerman and Dick Green. It's certainly true that I stand on the shoulders of giants.
It is a tradition for each ARVO president to establish a theme to guide their tenure. Grossniklaus explained that his theme comes from a deeply held conviction about optimizing both his research and the environment that produces it. Research is more rigorous and more productive, he noted, if it is accomplished from different perspectives, approaches, and data interpretations. Likewise, more diversity among the ranks of ARVO can only strengthen the organization's impact on the field.
Diversity is a hallmark of nature and has provided us with a beautiful natural world,
he said from the podium. Likewise, there is mechanistic diversity in ocular disease, and we, as vision scientists, are a diverse group with multiple backgrounds and perspectives. Imagine if we are able to fully embrace this diversity.
Grossniklaus praised ARVO's culture, which he characterized as being open to new ideas, innovation, and broad-based participation by members. He hopes to build on that by promoting opportunities to diversify the Board of Trustees, improve the nominating process, and encouraging corporate sponsorship of travel awards and scholarships for under-represented groups at ARVO events. All of this is particularly important for scientists who are just starting their careers, he noted.
I know this because I have seen how ARVO works. I presented my first poster at an ARVO conference in 1983. It was Glycosidases in Macular Cornea Dystrophy. The presenter next to me was a well-known senior scientific investigator, Gordon Klintworth. To say he was well-established is an understatement. But when he started asking me questions about my work, that was not a barrier. We just fell into a conversation that was based on our mutual interest in the research. That's the sort of connection that can shape a career. And I've had many like it over the years. So, the idea behind this theme, really, is that I am paying it forward.
-Kathleen E. Moore