Women Professors of Ophthalmology

Established in 2021 by Dr. Rukhsana Mirza and Dr. Misha Syed (both AUPO members), WPO’s mission is to foster the professional growth and advancement of women in academia through the creation of a non-gender specific peer mentoring network of Professors and supporters in our field with the goal of enhancing the professional development and equity of women in academic Ophthalmology during all phases of their career.

The WPO initiative is intended to help academic ophthalmologists and vision scientists connect and build relationships to guide and advance their careers in academia through a variety of platforms including a peer mentorship program, podcasts, webinars, and live networking events.

Please check back regularly for updates!

Questions? Email: w omenprofs.ophtho@gmail.com

Connect Me to the WPO Network

The 2024 Women Professors of Ophthalmology program is sponsored by

Upcoming Events - 2024-2025

Career Networking Program 2024 - 2025
5:00 pm Pacific / 6:00 pm Mountain / 7:00 pm Central / 8:00 pm Eastern Time for 90-minutes

Sept 26, 2024 - Developmental Network Kick off (open to all full professor affiliates - meet WPO cohort 4 and learn about WPO-Net)
Oct 10, 2024 - Mentee presentations of developmental network maps (with prior cohorts)
Nov 21, 2024 - "Next steps" (with prior cohorts)
Jan 16, 2025 - CV Review & Biosketches - Led by Christina Flaxel, MD and Kim Winges, MD
Feb 27, 2025 - Leadership - Led by Sandra Masur PhD and Lynn Gordon MD, PhD
April 17, 2025 - Research - Led by ME Hartnett, MD and Susan Culican, MD, PhD
May 22, 2025 - Reflections and Reciprocity Exercise

WPO Member Events

Oct 18, 2024 - Reception at AAO Annual Meeting, Chicago - Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
Nov 7, 2024 - Webinar - Leading With Influence & How to Build Your Influence (open to all)
Jan 31, 2025 - Reception at AUPO Annual Meeting, Fort Lauderdale - Marriott Harbor Beach

Announcements

Congratulations to our 2023-2024 Mentee cohort on the completion of the WPO Mentoring Program:

Jessica Chang, MD - University of Southern California
Shu Feng, MD - University of Washington
Shruthi Harish, MD - Wills Eye Hospital
Eliesa Ing, MD - Oregon Health Sciences University
Minjy Kang, MD, MA - Northwestern University
Yin Allison Liu, MD, PhD - University of California, Davis
Lilian Nguyen, MD - University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
Sally Ong, MD - Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Shameema Sikder, MD - Johns Hopkins
Nurhan Torun, MD - Harvard Medical School
Melanie Truong-Le, DO - UT Southwestern Medical Center
Qing Wang, MD, PhD - Columbia University
Alexis Warren, MD - University of Chicago
Amy Zhang, MD - University of Michigan

2022-2023 Mentee Cohort

Tahira Scholle, MD - Baylor College of Medicine
Christine Shieh, MD - Vanderbilt Eye Institute
Mary Champion, MD - The University of Kansas Medical Center
Annie Wishna, MD - University of Kansas
Grace Sun, MD - Weill Cornell Med
Sangeeta Khanna, MD - University of Michigan
Mary Daly, MD - BUSM
Merina Thomas, MD - OHSU Casey Eye Institute
Amanda Henderson, MD - Wilmer/Johns Hopkins
Afshan Nanji, MD, MPH - OHSU Casey Eye Institute

2021-2022 Mentee Cohort

Jennifer Lindsey, MD - Vanderbilt
Meghan Berkenstock, MD - Johns Hopkins
Aakriti Shukla, MD - Columbia
Jessica Randolph, MD - Virginia Commonwealth
Nisha Chadha, MD - New York Eye & Ear Infirmary
Ujwala Saboo, MD - University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
Divya Srikumaran, MD - Johns Hopkins
Lucy Shen, MD - Mass Eye and Ear
Kim Winges, MD - Oregon Health & Sciences University

Podcast – WPO Journey into Academia

Welcome to the "WPO Journey into Academia" podcast series. In this inaugural episode, our WPO co-hosts, Thasarat and Cat, interviewed WPO co-founders Drs. Rukhsana Mirza and Misha Syed. Our guests shared their personal and professional journeys and how they collaborated to create WPO as a way to ensure that current and future colleagues could reach their highest potential in their academic careers, no matter the pathway or the phase of one’s journey.

Episode #1: Drs. Rukhsana Mirza and Misha Syed, Co-founders of WPO – Our Journey

In the second episode, our WPO co-hosts, Thasarat and Cat, had the privilege of interviewing two distinguished women professors, Lynn K. Gordon, MD, PhD, and Sandra Kazahn Masur, PhD. Our guests shared their journeys, how they overcame the unique challenges they faced and the aspects they have enjoyed the most about being women in academia. As distinguished scientists, they also shared insightful strategies on how to establish successful and fulfilling research careers, while navigating work-life balance as a woman in a demanding profession. Enjoy our highlight video and/or watch the entire interview via the below link.

Episode #2: Drs. Lynn K. Gordon and Sandra Kazahn Masur Highlight Video
Episode #2: Drs. Lynn K. Gordon and Sandra Kazahn Masur Full Interview

Episode three explores Trailblazing Women in Ophthalmology: The Leadership Journeys of Drs. Jane Edmond and Tamara Fountain. Both guests have significantly impacted clinical practice and academia, breaking barriers and setting exemplary standards for medical education and leadership. In this episode, Dr. Edmond and Dr. Fountain share their unique academic journeys, the challenges they faced, and their motivations that kept them in academia despite the demanding roles.

Episode #3: Drs. Jane Edmond and Tamara Fountain