WISER

WISER

WISER stands for Women of the International Society for Eye Research. WISER was formed because the executive leadership of the society recognized the great need and potential benefits to young female investigators if they could have personal interactions with senior investigators during attendance of our bi-annual meetings.

Our WISER and Young Investigator (YI) social functions are organized to ensure maximal opportunity to interact during meeting times and in the evenings.

Once again in Belfast, ISER's Asia-Pacific Vice President, Professor Frank Lovicu will organize ISER's version of speed dating during the Welcome Reception. Click here to read about the Welcome Reception Meet and Greet: Eye 2 Eye.

WISER organizes a dinner during each ISER Biennial Meeting where senior investigators attend and sit amongst the YIs and share their experience and advice in all aspects of professional and family life. This dinner is typically attended by 20-30 attendees and feedback from the YIs have been outstanding as the intimate relaxed setting and small group meant that no one was afraid to ask questions or to share their experience. Click here for more information about the WISER Dinner.

WISER has had another surprising benefit in that it has also forged new friendship and collaborations amongst senior female and male investigators who attend and support our functions. Some of our best 'mentor/mentee', 'lab collaborations' and 'peer to peer professional networks' are formed during the informal sessions at our meetings, and WISER continues to maximise these opportunities for our YIs. The success of WISER during our earlier meetings and the recognition that young male investigators would also benefit from these special opportunities have led us to welcome male and female attendees to all WISER functions. Having male leadership attend and hear the difficulties faced by females is essential to facilitating equal access to the best training opportunities for all. So please, encourage all your trainees to register to attend WISER and YI functions planned for the upcoming Biennial meeting as well as during the ISER/Bright Focus co-sponsored meetings in alternate years.

Click here to read the history of WISER.