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UAB School of Optometry Dean Kelly K. Nichols, O.D., Ph.D., has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to optometric education, the profession and public eye health.
Kelly Nichols, O.D., Ph.D.Kelly K. Nichols, O.D., Ph.D., dean of the School of Optometry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has been named Alabama Educator of the Year by the Alabama Optometric Association.
The award is presented annually to a qualified Alabama doctor of optometry in recognition of their performance of outstanding services on behalf of the profession, optometric education and the visual welfare of the public.
“It is truly an honor to be named the ALOA Educator of the Year. I am deeply grateful for this recognition and for the opportunity to contribute to the education and growth of future optometrists in Alabama and beyond,” Nichols said.
Nichols has been the dean of the UAB School of Optometry since 2014. She is a leading expert on dry eye disease and has been extensively published on the topic. Nichols serves on the editorial board of the Ocular Surface and Menopause and has served extensively on the executive board for the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society. She received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of California at Berkeley, completed a residency in ocular disease at Omni Eye Specialists of Colorado and earned her Ph.D. in vision science at Ohio State University.
The Alabama Optometric Association represents the interests of optometrists in Alabama and is dedicated to protecting and advancing the profession of optometry.