The Hansjoerg E. Kolder Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology

Dr. KolderThe Hansjoerg E. Kolder Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology is presented to a graduating medical student from the Carver College of Medicine who demonstrates excellence in ophthalmology. A Hansjoerg E. Kolder Award for Ophthalmology Research is presented during the annual Carver College of Medicine Medical Student Research Conference to a deserving medical student.  And, in limited instances, a Kolder Memorial Humanitarian Award is granted to a student, resident, fellow or alumnus who demonstrates exceptional community service.

These awards are named in honor of Professor Hansjoerg E.J.W. Kolder, beloved teacher, role model, and outstanding clinician and surgeon in the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.

Dr. Kolder was born on November 29, 1926, in Vienna, Austria and received a doctorate in medicine and philosophy from the University of Vienna. In February of 1959, Dr. Kolder joined Emory University as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology. He served as Associate Professor between 1963 and 1968. He was recruited to the University of Iowa by Dr. Frederick C. Blodi in 1968 where he simultaneously held a position as Associate Professor and completed a residency in clinical ophthalmology. In 1973, he was appointed Professor. Dr. Kolder retired from clinical practice in 1995 and was appointed Emeritus Professor.

Although a "generalist" Dr. Kolder excelled in all areas of ophthalmology and was comfortable performing many types of ophthalmic surgery. For more than 20 years, he was responsible for teaching residents the fundamentals of cataract surgery.

In 1998, the electrodiagnostic laboratory at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences was named in his honor. He is known for his extensive study of the electro-oculogram (EOG) and other electrodiagnostic phenomena used in evaluating patients with abnormalities of the visual system.

Dr. Kolder represents the best in academic medicine and for this, his patients, students and colleagues will always be thankful.

Recipients

  • 1994
    • Christopher Haupert
  • 1995
    • Brian Nichols
  • 1996
    • Stacy L. Thompson
  • 1997
    • Mark S. Wolken
  • 1998
    • John Fingert
  • 2001
    • Jeffrey M. Taylor
  • 2002
    • Jeff Maassen
  • 2003
    • Sonal Dave
  • 2004
    • Kyle John Alliman
  • 2005
    • Geeta Belsare
  • 2006
    • Lucas Wendel
  • 2007
    • Morgan Pansegrau Gaunt
  • 2008
    • Sarita Dave
  • 2012
    • Jeffrey T. Lynch, MPH, MD, (presented to the graduating Pediatric Ophthalmology Fellow as the first Kolder Memorial Humanitarian Award)
  • 2016
    • Ashwin Subramaniallie (presented to Medical Student Research Day Award winner for Ophthalmology Research)
  • 2017
    • Joseph Vecchi (presented to Medical Student Research Day Award winner for Ophthalmology Research)
  • 2018
    • Pavane Gorrepati (presented to Medical Student Research Day Award winner for Ophthalmology Research)
    • Resident Class of 2020 (Matthew Benage, MD; Anthony Chung, MD; Austin Fox, MD; Benjamin Janson, MD; Heather Stiff, MD) (presented as Kolder Memorial Humanitarian Award)
  • 2019
    • Josh Hagedorn (presented to Medical Student Research Day Award winner for Ophthalmology Research)
  • 2020
    • Lauren Hock, MD (presented as Hansjoerg E. Kolder Memorial Humanitarian Award  for Ophthalmology Research)

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