Physiological Optics Graduate Student Association - POGSA

We are back again with the alumni feature! This time the feature is on Dr. Ayeswarya Ravikumar, who is currently a Research Associate at UHCO

Research interests: Customized Corrections (CL, Spectacles, IOL's) , Myopia, Neural Adaptation, Dry eyes
Dissertation topic: Change in Visual Acuity Highly correlated with Change in Image Quality Metrics in Normal and Keratoconic eyes
PhD advisor: Dr. Raymond A Applegate
Favorite part of the eye/visual pathway: How optics plays an important role from childhood(in Myopia) to old age (pseudophakia)
Favorite spot in Houston: Water Wall, Hermann Park, NASA (went 8 times in 12 years)
Favorite spot on campus: Chinese Star restaurant on campus (closed), Tealicious, My office
Favorite location travelled to for a conference: Florida ARVO
Hobbies/interests outside of research: Gardening, watching movies, spending time with kids, Temple
Favorite memory during grad school: UHCO Alumini Meet (not anymore)) during ARVO, Second year ARVO sharing room with 5 grad students.

What advice do you wish you had been given as a grad student?
1. I wish someone could have told me that PhD life is like the roots of a tree and you get buried deep into the soil in the dark but there is lot more to do in the life after your PhD where you grow more and tall and spread lateral branches to reach to the sky and shine in the sun with colorful flowers. Only if the roots are stronger you can shine colorfully throughout the life but that is not the end of the world.
2. I wish I was aware on the career pathways available after the PhD life during my 2nd to 3rd year of the graduate school.

Are there any accomplishments you would like to share?
Ezell Fellowship, As a president of UHCO postdoctoral Association

The next alumni feature is on Dr. Krista Beach, who is currently a Research Scientist - Lisa A. Ostrin Laboratory (Previous lab: Earl L. Smith III)

Research interests: Environmental factors influencing the development of refractive error
Dissertation topic: Retinal regeneration and optic nerve axonal guidance
PhD advisor: Dr. Deborah C. Otteson
Favorite part of the eye/visual pathway: Retina
Favorite spot in Houston: The Theater District (Jones Hall, the Wortham Center, the Hobby Center) and Miller Outdoor Theater
Favorite spot on campus: My office
favorite location travelled to for a conference: Tokyo, Japan
Hobbies/interests outside of research: Reading, singing, baking, tea, beading, going to performing arts
Favorite memory during grad school: Rooming with my 3 best friends (fellow grad students) at ARVO in Seattle

What advice do you wish you had been given as a grad student?
Though lab work is your first priority, be sure to have a life outside of the lab so that your value as a person isn't lost when experiments go wrong.

Are there any accomplishments you would like to share?
As the chair of the UH Postdoctoral Fellows Association, I met with the UH administration to address inequities in hiring practices between departments and to advocate for standardizing hiring practices, benefits, and salaries for postdoctoral fellows.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the graduate program at UHCO. To commemorate the 50th anniversary, we are featuring alumni who are working at UHCO.
The first alumni feature is on Dr. Hanieh Mirhajianmoghadam, who is currently a Post-doctoral fellow at Dr. Lisa Ostrin's lab.

Research interests: Myopia, retinal imaging, Adaptive Optics
Dissertation topic: Examination of Cone Photoreceptor Packing and Foveal Architecture in Eyes of Children and Adults
PhD advisor: Dr. Jason Porter
Favorite part of the eye/visual pathway: Photoreceptors
Favorite spot in Houston: Herman Park, Water wall, Half price books in Rice village (unfortunately closed now), Bodegas Taco shop
Favorite spot on campus: Student center
Hobbies/interests outside of research: Learning languages; I studied French for 2 years and now I am learning Spanish. I also love painting and dancing.
Favorite memory during grad school:
Birthday parties in graduate lounge

An advice do you wish you had been given as a grad student: I wish someone would have told me to work smarter, not harder. And that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The last but not the least Sunday student spotlight is on Nasim Maddah, another first year PhD student interested in working on Cornea, Keratoconus.

favorite class: Professional development
favorite spot in Houston: NRG stadium
favorite spot on campus: student center
favorite part of the eye/visual pathway: cornea
favorite memory: Pizza and game night at Shulman lounge

fun fact: I enjoy talking to students from different countries to become familiar with their cultures!

She is a Presidential Fellowship winner.

Our Sunday spotlight is on Chloe Degre Kendrick this week, a PhD student working on Myopia and higher-order aberrations.
favorite class: Core
favorite spot in Houston: EaDo for crawfish with friends
favorite spot on campus: Anywhere sunny 🌞
favorite part of the eye/visual pathway: All of it!
favorite memory: Getting together with everyone for Zoo Boo

fun fact: I love indoor plants! My husband and I packed over 20 of my plants (and our cat, BB) in the car when we made the 25 hour drive from Rochester, NY to Houston.
I am looking forward to presenting a poster at ARVO 2022: The Impact of Pupil Transmission Apodization on Visual Performance at Different Light Levels.

Hope everyone had a great spring break and now resuming our Sunday spotlights; featuring Ebenezer Owusu, another first year PhD student interested in working on ocular surface diseases.
favorite class: Experimental design
favorite spot in Houston: River Oaks
favorite spot on campus: Clinic Procedures Lab
favorite part of the eye/visual pathway: Cornea
favorite memory: I used to get lost in the college building. It could take me over 10 minutes to locate my class

fun fact: I never miss Arsenal FC matches

Featuring this week, Ariyel Kwaku Bonsu another first year PhD student interested in working on Myopia progression and control.
favorite class: Professional development
favorite spot in Houston: Home
favorite part of the eye/visual pathway: Photoreceptors
fun fact: likes music (all kinds except Metal)

This week the spotlight is on Manashwi Karki, a first year PhD student who is interested in working on Retinal physiology, gap junctions.

• Favorite class: Pathophysiology advanced module
• Favorite spot in Houston: Waterwall park
• Favorite spot on campus: Game room student center
• Favorite part of the eye/visual pathway: Retina
• Favorite memory: Drinking coffee from cougar grounds
• Fun fact: I like dancing, yoga and sharing horror stories by the fire

This week the spotlight is on Jacinth Priscilla Jacob Jayakumar, a first year PhD student who is interested in working on Sclera and myopia.

• Favorite class: Visual neuroscience advanced module
• Favorite spot in Houston: Topgolf
• Favorite spot on campus: Walking lane near the Brays Bayou
• Favorite part of the eye/visual pathway:
Sclera
• Favorite memory: I enjoyed comparing the crystalline lens magnification from different animal eyes which we isolated in one of the lectures in optics module.
Fun fact: I love to watch series from different countries and enjoy learning their culture and language.
Jacinth's very first publication "Time trends on the prevalence of myopia in India - A prediction model for 2050" was published in the journal of Ophthalmic and physiological optics in April 2021.

This week we are highlighting Suharsha Paidimarri, a first year PhD student who is interested in working on Retinal Imaging.

• Favorite class: Professional development
• Favorite spot in Houston: Gerald D. Hines Waterwall park
• Favorite spot on campus: Cullen fountain
• Favorite part of the eye/visual pathway:
Retina
• Favorite memory: Being unable to find the way to the class and getting confused in the hall ways
• Fun fact: Cooking food for friends is my favorite hobby

We are excited to bring back the Student Spotlight Sundays! We are starting the series this year with Rachel Williams, a PhD student working with Dr. Lisa Ostrin on Circadian Rhythm, Myopia.

• Favorite class: Visual neuroscience advanced module
• Favorite spot in Houston: Memorial Park Eastern Glades to escape the city!
• Favorite spot on campus: Dr. Ostrin’s office; with her natural light, plants, & ocular anatomy decor!
• Favorite part of the eye/visual pathway: Retina
• Favorite memory: Collaborating and meeting in person with colleagues at Academy during the fall in Boston!
• Fun fact: My 3 brothers & I love to run, camp, peak mountains…anything outdoors!

Rachel recently published one review article on ocular effects of systemic medications last semester and has one manuscript just submitted for publication about classroom viewing activities during the pandemic.