SUNY Board of Trustees and Chancellor King Announce Presidential Appointment at SUNY College of Optometry
August 27, 2024
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New York, NY – The State University of New York Board of Trustees today appointed Dr. David Troilo as president of SUNY College of Optometry. He is the 4th president to serve the state's only college of optometry, following the retirement of Dr. David A. Heath after 17 years of dedicated service to the campus. Dr. Troilo's appointment is effective immediately.
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "SUNY College of Optometry is a center of research and academic excellence, and Dr. Troilo is a collaborative and thoughtful leader who is ready to move the campus forward growing and innovating optometric education and patient care. David is an outstanding scholar who is well respected on campus and throughout the optometry field. Our congratulations to Dr. Troilo and the entire campus community."
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, "The SUNY College of Optometry for years has pioneered innovative ways to advance eye care research. This research is crucial in enhancing vision care, which ultimately serves as a cornerstone for overall healthcare by improving patients' quality of life, preventing disease, and fostering a better understanding of the connection between eye health and overall well-being. During his time at SUNY Optometry, Dr. Troilo has championed innovation, and I strongly believe he will continue to build on SUNY Optometry's research excellence, a critical tool to recruit and retain the future of New York's optometric workforce."
"My congratulations to Dr. Heath for his service to SUNY, the campus, and of course the field of optometry. He has been an inspiring leader, working to expand the diversity of the profession here in New York City and across our great state. We wish him the best as he continues to work on the Upstate-SUNY Optometry extension program and moves forward in retirement," Chancellor King added.
SUNY College of Optometry College Council Chair Gretchen Stone said, "The College Council looks forward to continue working with Dr. Troilo in his new role as president. As Academic Dean, he has been a true leader for SUNY Optometry throughout his tenure. He is devoted to the College, its role in training future optometrists and advancing vision health through major research initiatives. We are grateful for the work done by the Search Committee and the support from SUNY System during this important search process."
Dr. Heath said, "I couldn't be more pleased to offer my congratulations to Dr. Troilo upon his appointment as President. I've had the great fortune of working with David for the past 30 years and value him highly as a colleague and friend. He is a talented and dedicated leader who has been essential to the advancement of the College's mission of education, research, and patient care, and I look forward to seeing the College achieve new heights under his tenure as president."
Dr. Troilo said, "It is my great honor and privilege to be selected to serve as the fourth president of the SUNY College of Optometry. The college is strong and thriving because of the talents and dedication of our outstanding faculty and staff, and the help of our many partners and supporters. I am committed to ensuring the College continues to lead the profession of optometry and vision care through our innovative academic programs, and through eye and vision research that improves patients' lives. Thank you to the Search Committee, College Counsel, Chancellor King, and the SUNY Board of Trustees for entrusting me to lead the future of the College."
About Dr. David Troilo
Dr. David Troilo joined SUNY College of Optometry in July 2008 as professor, vice president, and dean for Academic Affairs. As the chief academic officer at SUNY Optometry, Dr. Troilo has been responsible for the professional degree program in optometry, and the graduate degree programs (PhD and MS) in vision science. His other areas of responsibility include faculty development, residency training programs, library services, and continuing professional education.
Dr. Troilo has prioritized the growth of research at the college developing collaborative initiatives in basic, translational, and clinical eye and vision research. Working with the College's researchers and the University Eye Center, the college's clinical facility that sees 60,000 patients encounters per year, Dr. Troilo helped create the college's Clinical Vision Research Center in 2013. The CVRC reached its 100th study this past year.
He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). Dr. Troilo's principal research interest is on the visual control of eye growth and the mechanisms of myopia development. His work has been funded by the NIH and industry sponsors for over 30 years.
Dr. Troilo is a SUNY alum, having graduated from SUNY Oswego, and received his Ph.D. in biological sciences from the City University of New York. He held post-doctoral research positions at the University Laboratories of Physiology at the University of Oxford, and the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and the Department of Psychology at Cornell University.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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