Ms Rabia Mobeen, a post-doctoral research student at the University of New South Wales (NSW) School of Optometry and Vision Science, has received a prestigious fellowship from the American Academy of Optometry Foundation.

Born in Dubai and educated in Pakistan, Ms Rabia Mobeen received her Bachelor’s degree and Masters in optometry from King Edward Medical University in Lahore, Punjab.

She was then appointed as a Faculty Fellow and lecturer and taught both graduate and postgraduate students for almost eight years before moving to Australia to undertake a PhD.

Mobeen, whose first language is Urdu, said the Ezell Fellowship was a “golden opportunity” she had dreamed of since enrolling in her bachelor’s degree.

Mobeen was excited about the opportunities the fellowship could provide, such as networking with colleagues and collaborative efforts that could have an impact on the professional output of optometrists.

“I believe my recognition as an Ezell Fellow will significantly complement my current efforts to strengthen my research focus, improve clinical skills and advance the optometry profession. My goal is to secure an opportunity to continue my PhD research as a postdoctoral fellow in an internationally recognised institute and expand this research in contact lens-related ocular neuroimmunological responses.”

The fellowship includes two travel grants; one to attend the annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry 2020, taking place in Nashville in October; and the other to attend the annual meeting of the Association of Research and Vision Ophthalmology, in San Francisco in May, 2021.