Join The Celebration

We are very happy to be celebrating our 100-year birthday with our growing Optometry & Vision Science family, and the greater Optometry & Vision Science community. Below is a list of events that will take place throughout the course of our year-long centennial celebration. We cordially invite you to join us in celebrating the history and legacy of our school, go bears!

See below for a list of our centennial events.

Hall of Fame Gala

In 2006, The Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science established the Hall of Fame to honor of faculty, alumni, postdoctoral researchers and research associates whose contributions to the profession, through service, teaching or research have been so monumental as to be universally recognized. These individuals have made contributions that helped distinguish the University of California, Berkeley, Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science above all others.

In the summer of 2023, a Gala event will be held to induct 22 additional distinguished individuals into the Hall of Fame. The gala event will be the first of Berkeley Optometry’s Centennial Celebration and will include a ceremony outlining the contributions of the new inductees, followed by dinner. Join us as we celebrate our esteemed Hall-of-Famers!

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Almadora Henry at: ahenry@berkeley.edu.

DEIB Symposium: Digital Health Equity

The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed the widespread acceptance of telehealth and other digital innovations in healthcare; however, does advancing medical technology help or exacerbate exclusion, introduce unexpected biases, widen the digital divide, and continue to leave some populations behind?

Join us as we discuss the challenges and opportunities that technology has in the broader healthcare landscape and in eye care specifically. Our speakers will discuss their work at the forefront of healthcare and technology and our panelists will discuss specifically how this relates to eye care.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Dr. Ruth Shoge at: rshoge@berkeley.edu.

To learn about the speakers, and how to register, click the button below!

Centennial Vision Science Symposium

In celebration of 100 years of excellence of research in vision science, the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science will host a Centenary Research day on Friday, June 9th. The one day event will highlight the outstanding research being done by school faculty and alumni. The day will begin with a historical perspectives session followed by sessions on clinical, basic, and translational research. The keynote speaker will be Professor Dennis Levi. We look forward to getting together to meet old friends and to enjoy a day sharing and discussing our favorite science!

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Caitlin Dabatos at: caitlindabatos@berkeley.edu.

Community Celebration (The school’s birthday!)

In honor of the 100th year of The Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, we will be hosting a celebration! We will be joined by current students, faculty and staff. We hope to see you there!

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Caitlin Dabatos at: caitlindabatos@berkeley.edu.

Centennial Roadshows

We’re taking the Centennial Celebration on the Road! To celebrate our centennial year, the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science will visit alums and friends of the school in California and across the country. Our roadshows will include engaging with more than 3,000 alums and visiting local and regional optometric societies. Stay tuned for invitations to join us in your area!

Pacific Northwest Alumni Reception Hosted by Dr. Michael Harris – Seattle, July 23
Davis/Sacramento Alumni Reception Hosted by Dr. Weylin Eng – August TBD
Optometric Societies Visits – Dates Coming Soon!

If you have any questions about this event, please contact the Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) Team, at: optoalumni@berkeley.edu.

Centennial Gala for Optometry and VS

Our Centennial Gala Event on Saturday, December 2, is the culmination of the school’s year-long Centennial Celebration. This historic evening will be an evening of entertainment, food & drink, the announcement of the inaugural school 40 under 40, fond memories, emotional reflections, and an overall profound appreciation for the influence that Berkeley Optometry has had on the lives of its graduates and our community.

Join us for an evening of nostalgia and celebration, reflecting on Berkeley Optometry’s historical legacy of providing the best clinical training and vision care and looking forward to the next century of excellence.

Email optodev@berkeley.edu for more information and sponsorship opportunities.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact the Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) Team, at: optoalumni@berkeley.edu.