Dr. Irene Raffin was awarded the first edition of “Elda Chierichetti” prize. The ranking list is online.
“Elda Chierichetti” Prize: the ranking list
award
“Francesco Ferrante” National Optometry Award to Dr. Facchin
Dr. Alessio Facchin, researcher at the Università Mercatorum, Rome, and COMiB’s member, was awarded the 33rd “Francesco Ferrante” National Optometry Award.
Dr. Facchin is a professional who exemplifies the integration of optometry, psychology and scientific research. His career combines academic work, scientific output, university teaching and a commitment to promoting eye health awareness.
For more information about the award motivation, read the news on Ottica Italiana.
“Elda Chierichetti” Prize: call for applications
University of Milano-Bicocca announces a competition for the awarding of the 1st “Elda Chierichetti” Prize to students enrolled, in the 2025/26 academic year, in either the first or second year of the Master’s Degree Programme in Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Milano-Bicocca, as recognition of the quality of a research project idea and to support its implementation in the field of optometry.
The Master’s Degree in Optometry and Vision Science was established in 2024 and is currently the highest-level academic programme in Optometry in Italy.
The prize is established in memory of Elda Chierichetti, who was awarded the title of Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana in 1988. She was a historic figure in Milanese optics and received a civic merit award from the Municipality of Milan in 2002.
The “Elda Chierichetti” prize was established with the aim of supporting excellence in optometry education. Its establishment was strongly supported by both Cristian Scotti, the current owner of Ottica Arnaldo Chierichetti S.r.l., and the University of Milan-Bicocca, which Elda Chierichetti has always supported with conviction, recognizing the value of university education for the growth and advancement of the optometry profession.
Applications must be submitted from 29 May 2026 to 16 June 2026.
For further details, please refer to the call for applications.
“Giulio Velati” Prize 2025-2026
The prizes are for students with an Italian Bachelor’s degree in Optics and Optometry who are enrolled in the first year of the Master’s program in Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Milano-Bicocca for the 2025-2026 academic year.
The award is established in memory of Giulio Velati, a pioneer of optometry in Italy.
Award for the best presentation at SIF 2024
Dr. Erika Ponzini, a member of COMiB, received the first prize for the best presentation in Section 5: Biophysics and Medical Physics at the 2024 National SIF Congress, for her talk titled “Intraday and day-to-day variability of the tear proteome”. A heartfelt thank you to the Scientific Committee and SIF for this significant recognition. The awards will be presented during the opening ceremony of the next SIF Congress, scheduled from September 22 to 26, 2025, in Palermo.
The list of awardees is available at the SIF website.
Premio “Giulio Velati” 2022-2023
The award, established in memory of Giulio Velati, a pioneer of optometry in Italy, is aimed at students who have completed a three-year degree in Optics and Optometry at the University of Milan – Bicocca in the academic year 2022-2023.
The XXX Francesco Ferrante National Optometry Award to Prof. Borghesi
Alessandro Borghesi, professor emeritus of Milano-Bicocca and director of COMiB, was awarded the Francesco Ferrante National Optometry Award, established at the initiative of the family and a group of colleagues of the optometrist who died in 1986.
Professor Borghesi, who was the first in Italy to promote the activation of a graduate course in Optics and Optometry (established since 2001 at the University of Milano-Bicocca), has been coordinating the activities of COMiB since 2015.