1:30min
Professor Michael Collins is the 19th recipient of the prestigious H Barry Collin Research Medal for his sustained and significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge in optometric research, notably in the areas of contact lenses, visual optics, ocular imaging and myopia development and control.
Professor Michael Collins, a distinguished leader in Optometry and Vision Science at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), has made profound contributions to vision research over a career spanning more than 40 years. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy from QUT and established the internationally renowned Contact Lens and Visual Optics Laboratory in 1990. This laboratory has secured over 30 million dollars in research funding and fostered the development of numerous scientists across the globe.
Professor Collins has authored 291 peer-reviewed publications and holds 32 patents. His innovations focus on customised contact lens design, optical methods to control eye growth and slow myopia progression, and novel manufacturing techniques. His research impact is demonstrated by an H-index of 70 and over 13,000 citations.
In addition to his research excellence, Professor Collins has held key academic leadership roles at QUT, including Acting Head of the School of Optometry and Vision Science, Director of Contact Lens Clinics, and Director of Academic Programs. He has supervised more than 30 PhD students—six of whom received the QUT Outstanding Thesis Award—and mentored 17 postdoctoral fellows in the Contact Lens and Visual Optics Laboratory.
Professor Collins also contributes extensively to the global optometry community as a reviewer and editor for numerous prestigious journals. His work has been supported by competitive grants from national and international bodies including the Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, and the French National Research Agency.
This award recognises Professor Michael Collins’ outstanding achievements in advancing optometry research, education, and clinical practice.
About the H Barry Collin Research Medal
The award is named after Professor H Barry Collin, long-serving former Editor-in-Chief of Optometry Australia’s journal, Clinical and Experimental Optometry and includes a $5,000 prize and the recipient submitting a paper for publication in CXO.
It recognises outstanding contributions to the advancement of knowledge in optics, vision science or clinical optometry by a person who is an Australian citizen or a graduate of an Australian optometry school, or who has done a significant part of his or her research in an Australian institution.