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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 2023 call for applications for the next MIT Board Member closed July 10. 

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 [2017-2021], but does not renew her dues in 2022. She renews in 2023. In 2023, 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

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 August.

Please email any questions to arvoelections@arvo.org