Advance Conference Program

With the theme of "Making Connections", the 2025 Advance Conference will include sessions on topics to help you with networking, such as developing an elevator pitch, making yourself visible to others and finding connections. Other sessions will focus on collaboration-related topics, like finding new collaborators, building diverse networks while maintaining existing ones and participating in interdisclipinary projects.

By attending this Conference, you will benefit from access to:

• Keynote speakers: Thought leaders sharing their learned experiences
• Lightning talks: Snippets of advice to develop your professional skills
• Educational sessions: In-depth discussions of specific competencies and skills
• Expert sessions: One-hour small group discussions on timely topics
• Résumé review sessions: Private one-on-one sessions with ARVO member experts to help improve your CV or résumé

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025

Opening Keynote: Making meaningful connects in the ’New Normal’
9 – 10:15am

As an NPR host and journalist, Headlee has interviewed hundreds of people from all walks of life. Through her work, she has learned the true power of conversation and its ability to both bridge gaps or deepen wounds. In a time when conversations are often minimized to a few words in a text message and lack of meaningful communication and dialogue abounds, Headlee sheds a much-needed light on the lost and essential art of conversation.

From connection to collaboration: Enhancing your networking skills
10:30 – 11:15am

In today’s fast-paced professional environment, effective networking is key to unlocking new opportunities and collaborations. This session will guide participants through essential strategies to enhance their visibility and make lasting impressions.

Key topics include:

• Making yourself visible for networking: Practical tips for standing out in professional circles and ensuring your expertise is recognized.
• Getting the most out of meetings: Proven approaches to engage meaningfully, ask insightful questions, and leave a positive impression during meetings.
• Crafting an elevator pitch: Learn how to introduce yourself confidently and concisely, tailoring your pitch to capture attention and highlight your value.
• Finding potential research collaborators: Strategies for identifying and connecting with like-minded professionals to foster impactful collaborations.

Case studies in collaboration
11:30 – 12:30pm

Collaboration is a cornerstone of innovation and impact, but the dynamics differ significantly between projects. This session explores these differences to uncover actionable insights. Highlights include:

• Local vs. global networks: Understanding the benefits, challenges, and best practices for collaboration at different scales.
  
  
• Case studies in collaboration: Examining the strategies and successes of three groundbreaking consortia:
   
  • The Retinal Ganglion Cell (RGC) Repopulation, Stem Cell Transplantation, and Optic Nerve Regeneration (RReSTORe) Consortium: Advancing vision restoration through international interdisciplinary collaboration.
  • The Drug Discovery and Delivery Network for Oncology and Eye Therapeutics (3D-NEONET) Consortium: A unique partnership of academic and nonacademic organizations driving innovation in drug discovery.
  • Sight Outcomes Research Collaborative (SOURCE): Harnessing the power of shared data to improve patient outcomes.

Sessions with an expert
12:45 – 1:45pm

Résumé review
2 – 3pm (Registrants: Sign up now)

Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025

Résumé review
8 – 9am (Registrants: Sign up now)

Maximizing collaborative success
9:15 – 10:15am

Collaboration drives innovation, but achieving success requires more than just shared goals. This session provides actionable insights into establishing, managing, and thriving in collaborative environments. Key topics include:

• Establishing and managing collaboration Logistics: Best practices for organizing workflows, communication channels, and shared responsibilities to ensure smooth collaboration.
• Building trust and rapport: Strategies for fostering mutual respect, accountability, and strong interpersonal relationships within a team.
• Connecting across disciplines: Tips for bridging knowledge gaps, navigating diverse expertise, and creating synergy in interdisciplinary projects.
• Connecting across clinical sites: Effective approaches to overcome geographical and institutional barriers in multi-site collaborations.

Closing Keynote: Transformative nature of collaborations
10:30 – 11:30am

Dimitri T. Azar, MD, MBA, FARVO, president and CEO of Twenty/Twenty Therapeutics, examines the transformative nature of collaborations through the lens of his research journey from Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary and Harvard Medical School to the University of Illinois to Novartis to Alphabet Verily Life and now at Twenty/Twenty Therapeutics.

Exploring personal journeys in collaborative research
11:45 – 12:45pm

Collaboration often starts with a personal journey. In this inspiring and practical session, members will share their experiences creating new networks, maintaining connections across borders, and navigating industry partnerships. Participants will leave this session with a deeper appreciation for the human side of collaboration and practical advice to navigate their own networking and partnership journeys, no matter where they are in the world.

Session with an expert
1 – 2pm

* Program topics and speakers are subject to change without notice.