Crystal Apple Award
The Crystal Apple is a special recognition that is presented to an ASRS member who has gone to great lengths to advance the education and professional development of young retina specialists. In addition to receiving the award, each year's recipient also presents a distinguished lecture during the Early Career Section's Annual Meeting luncheon.
Click here to nominate before the January 3, 2025 deadline. (Please note: Call for nominations is only open to Early Career Section* members) *ASRS members who have been in practice for seven years or less.
2024 Crystal Apple Award Winner
The ASRS Early Career Section selected Jared S. Nielsen, MD, MS, MBA, FASRS, as the 2024 Crystal Apple Award winner for excellence in teaching and mentorship. The award will be presented posthumously during the Annual Meeting in Stockholm. Dr. Nielsen passed away June 14 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Dr. Nielsen founded the retina fellowship program at the Wolfe Eye Clinic in West Des Moines, Iowa, and served as the program's director from 2017 to 2024. In addition to training retina fellows, Dr. Nielsen trained dozens of residents and countless medical students.
The Crystal Apple Award is a special recognition presented to an ASRS member who has gone to great lengths to advance the education and professional development of young retina specialists.
Dr. Nielsen spearheaded a robust clinical research department for over 15 years at the Wolfe Eye Clinic, and served as a principal investigator in more than 50 clinical trials as well as an investigator in the DRCR Retina Network.
Dr. Nielsen completed his retina fellowship at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, where he was a clinical instructor of ophthalmology for many years. He joined the Wolfe Eye Clinic in 2007. He also completed a master's degree in business administration from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business in 2018.
Past recipients:
2023 - Prithvi Mruthyunjaya, MD, MHS, FASRS
2022 - Sharon Fekrat, MD, FACS, FASRS
2021 - R.V. Paul Chan, MD, MSc, MBA, FACS
2020 - Caroline R. Baumal, MD
2019 - Seenu M. Hariprasad, MD
2018 - Audina M. Berrocal, MD
2017 - James Folk, MD and Lawrence Yannuzzi, MD
2016 – Lee Jampol, MD
2015 – Hugo Quiroz-Mercado, MD
2014 – Alexander J. Brucker, MD
2013 – Daniel Martin, MD
2012 – Dean Eliott, MD
2011 – Allen C. Ho, MD
2010 – Andrew P. Schachat, MD
2009 – Robert C. Watzke, MD
2008 – Stanley Chang, MD
2007 – Michael T. Trese, MD
2006 – Harry W. Flynn, Jr., MD
2005 – William Mieler, MD
2004 – Julia A. Haller, MD
2003 – Paul Tornambe, MD
2002 – Not given
2001 – George Williams, MD
2000 – Eugene de Juan, Jr, MD
1999 – Kirk Packo, MD