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Members-in-Training Trustee election

In 2011, it was approved to add a non-voting Members-in-Training (MIT) seat to the Board of Trustees to serve a two-year term.

The current MIT Board Member, Maria Cabrera-Aguas, began her term with the 2023 ARVO Fall Board Meeting, and will conclude her term at the 2025 Fall Board Meeting.

The 2025 call for applications/nominations for the next MIT Board Member will open June 12 - July 12.

Term of service

The next MIT Board member will be appointed from October 2025 - October 2027. Should the member lose her/his MIT status, she/he will no longer be eligible to serve out the term.

Candidate eligibility criteria
(Required)

Must be a current ARVO MIT at any training level (see below):

  • In Training: Postgraduate Fellows and Residents

Individuals in full-time training at institutions of higher learning in a scientific field related to vision or ophthalmology who have attained a doctorate level degree.

  • In Training: Students and Pre-doctoral Graduate Students

Individuals enrolled full-time as undergraduates, graduate, optometry students or medical students at institutions of higher learning in a scientific field related to vision or ophthalmology who have not earned a doctorate level degree.

Membership in either or both training categories is limited to a total of seven years. Lapsed members are allowed to rejoin as an MIT as long as they have not exceeded the seven-year limit (e.g., Jane Smith is an MIT for four consecutive years [2019-2023], but does not renew her dues in 2024. She renews in 2025. In 2025, she would be considered a fifth-year MIT).

Must be available to attend the virtual fall (2025, 2026, 2027) and in-person spring (2026, 2027) Board Meetings.

Must submit a current CV and two letters of recommendation from supervisors and/or mentors who are ARVO members.

(Optional)

Presented at the ARVO Annual Meeting

Previously received an ARVO travel grant

Previously volunteered on an ARVO committee or working group

Prior At-Large Members-in-Training Trustees

Anton H. Kolomeyer, MD, PhD – RE Section
October 2011 - October 2013

Megan E. Capozzi – RC Section
October 2013 - October 2015

Jaclyn Bermudez, PhD– GL Section
October 2015 – October 2016 

Philip Ruzycki– BI Section
October 2016 – October 2017

Emily Patterson, PhD – VI Section
October 2017 – October 2019

Tasneem Khatib, MA, BMBCh – GL Section
October 2019 – October 2021

Daisy Shu, PhD –  RC Section
October 2021 - October 2023

Maria Cabrera-Aguas, PhD –  CL Section
October 2023 - October 2025

Submitting an application

Interested MITs must complete an application and obtain two letters of recommendation from senior ARVO members/advisors. MITs may also nominate another fellow MIT with their consent. Nominators must complete an application and obtain two letters of recommendation from senior ARVO members/advisors, plus a consent letter from their nominee.

Results are announced in September.

Please email any questions to arvoelections@arvo.org