Individuals who have registered for the APAO Annual Congress are entitled to participate in the APAO Achievement Award Program. This program was set up in 2008 to recognize individuals for their time and contribution to the scientific programs of the APAO Annual Congress. The program is based on a cumulative point system and there are 3 award categories:
- Achievement Award (10 points)
- Senior Achievement Award (30 points)
- Life Achievement honor Award (60 points)
The Point System
Contributions to the APAO Annual Congress are categorized as follows:
- Chair/Coordinator of the invited program#
- Invited symposium presentation
- Instruction course presentation
- Subspecialty Day presentation
- Film or video production*
- Scientific paper presentation*
- Scientific poster/e-poster presentation*
* Both authors and coauthors are awarded points in these categories.
# Chairs’/Coordinators’ contributions are recognized since APAO Congress 2015.
^ Penalty points will be applied for no-show free paper first authors and no-show instruction course chief instructors.
One point is awarded per category per year regardless of the number of presentations made in the same category. An individual can earn a maximum of four points per congress. For example, an individual presenting two invited talks, one instruction course, one video, one scientific paper, and one scientific poster during an APAO Annual Congress would receive a total of four points: one point for the invited talks, one point for the instruction course, one point for the video, and one point for the scientific paper. The individual would not receive a point for the poster presentation or the additional invited talk.
Achievement Award Nomination Process
Individuals who have accumulated the required number of points are automatically nominated and presented to the APAO Award Selection Committee. A two-thirds majority vote is required to approve an individual for an Achievement Award. Recipients are notified before the APAO Annual Congress.
Recognition
Each recipient will have his/her photo printed in the Annual Congress program. Starting from the 29th APAO Congress, each awardee of the year will be recognized on a social occasion. All awardees, past and present, will receive an Achievement Award ribbon.