Dr Gary Baker wins posthumous award for his teaching from the Association of Optometrists

Nov. 8, 2012 - PRLog -- The Association of Optometrists (AOP) recognised Dr Baker as "an undergraduate lecturer who has provided dynamic, interesting, innovative and informative lectures or study programmes for undergraduate students."

This was the first time that the AOP has given the award posthumously. After his nomination was announced City's Professor Ron Douglas spoke to the industry's trade magazine Optometry Today about Dr Baker, who died last year:

"Dr Gary Baker was a senior lecturer and programme director for the foundation degree course at the Department of Optometry and Visual Science at City University London.  Dr Baker joined the department in 1999 and soon acquired a reputation as an inspired and inspiring teacher of ocular and visual anatomy and function.”

He was enormously popular among our students, and a frequent nominee for university teaching prizes voted for by the student body, which he deservedly won two years ago. He was simply one of the most dedicated university teachers I have known in my 28 years at the university.

"After his death, the students set up a Facebook page in his memory; 283 people contributed. So, rather than sing his praises myself, I will let the students do the talking; here are some extracts.

'I would still be working on my third-year project if it wasn't for you... you are the reason for my current path... such a fantastic and inspirational teacher... such a wonderful man who brought true inspiration to all he taught... an inspiring lecturer... you made your lectures dynamic... abundance of help in labs and outside classes... did anything to help... I wouldn't have made it through optometry without you... you managed to see potential in us even when we lost hope in ourselves.'

"These are just the first few of many hundreds of messages. The word that often occurs is 'inspirational'. He was simply that; an inspirational teacher of optometry (http://www.city.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/optometry) and I cannot think of a more deserving recipient of this award."

The Division of Optometry and Visual Science encompasses academic staff who teach and carry out research in the area of optometry and visual science.  There are currently 15 academic staff in the Division contributing to courses in ophthalmic dispensing, optometry  and speech and language therapy (http://www.city.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/speech-therapy) as well as carrying out applied vision research (http://www.city.ac.uk/health/research/research-areas/opto...) spanning fundamental visual science to ophthalmic health policy.