Beginning in 1993, the Rich Lecture Series seeks to energize scientific discovery by bringing to UAB top-notch vision scientists from around the US and beyond. Speakers from a range of disciplines are chosen to sample cutting-edge topics from across vision science and ophthalmology. Lectures routinely spark intellectual discussion and collaborations. Faculty, students, and others interested in visual science are welcome to attend. As of 2020, the Rich Lecture Series converted to an online format so we can interact with great speakers in person as well as virtually. All seminars can now be attendable on Zoom and in person with live Zoom streaming.
We sincerely thank The EyeSight Foundation of Alabama for their continued generosity in supporting the Rich Lecture Series, which enables us to bring invaluable insights and discussion to the field of ophthalmology.
2025-2026 Lecture Series
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Nimesh Patel, O.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
University of Houston
College of Optometry
Research Interest: visual neuroscience in the NHP glaucoma model
Hosted by Crawford Downs, Ph.D.
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Joseph Brzezinski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
Department of Ophthalmology
Research Interest: eye development
Hosted by Maria Grant, M.D.
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Frank Schaeffel, Ph.D.
Senior Professor
Head of the Section of Neurobiology of the Eye Institute for Ophthalmic Research
Centre for Ophthalmology
University of Tübingen, Germany
Research Interest: myopia
Hosted by Rafael Grytz, Ph.D.
Thursday, January 8, 2026
J. Sebag, M.D., FACS, FRCOphth, FARVO
Senior Research Scientist
Doheny Eye Institute
Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA
Research Interest: vitreous humor
Hosted by Gianfranco Bianco, Ph.D.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Greg Field, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
University of California Los Angeles
Department of Ophthalmology
Research Interest: understanding how the retina encodes visual inputs into electrical signals that are transmitted to the rest of the brain
Hosted by Paul Gamlin, Ph.D.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Aparna Lakkaraju, Ph.D.
Professor
University of California San Francisco
Department of Ophthalmology
Research Interest: RPE biology and AMD pathophysiology
Hosted by Tylor Lewis, Ph.D.