Gunter K. von Noorden Young Investigator Award

Gunter K. von Noorden, MD (1928-2017)

Dr. Gunter K. von Noorden emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1954. He went on to lead a distinguished academic career as a clinician, scientist, and teacher at the University of Iowa, Wilmer Eye Institute, and Baylor College of Medicine, becoming one of the most recognized authorities in our field, both nationally and internationally. He served as President of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS), the International Strabismological Association (ISA), the American Orthoptic Council (AOC) and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).
 
He published 310 scientific papers and authored 4 books, including his seminal multi-edition book, Ocular Motility and Binocular Vision: Theory and Management of Strabismus, a cornerstone of ophthalmic education. He inspired countless orthoptists and ophthalmologists, shared his knowledge worldwide, and delivered more than a dozen named lectures, including the prestigious Jackson Memorial (AAO), Bowman (British Ophthalmological Society), Costenbader (AAPOS), Bielschowsky (ISA), and Proctor (ARVO) Lectures.

Dr. von Noorden was a pioneer researcher in visual neurophysiology who transferred discoveries in amblyopia in primates into the clinical arena, and helped us better understand binocular vision, amblyopia, and strabismus.  In this spirit, the Gunter K. von Noorden Young Investigator Award is designed to recognize, encourage and support the next generation of scientists in our field.