Joseph F. Arboleda-Velasquez, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School (HMS), was selected for the 2015-2016 HMS Young Mentor Award, which recognizes faculty who are in the early stages of their careers, and are devoting their time to providing mentoring for others. This award is one of three Excellence in Mentoring awards established by the Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership at HMS. Each year, only 18 out of more than 18,000 HMS faculty members are recognized.
Dr. Arboleda-Velasquez mentors several postdoctoral fellows and trainees, including research assistant Alex Bigger-Allen. “One of the qualities I have appreciated most about Joe’s mentor style is his desire to maintain an always-open line of communication, whether it be to ask questions about work or to discuss completely unrelated topics,” said Bigger-Allen. “Through our discourse, Joe’s concern for and desire to cultivate my future and career, regardless of the path I ultimately decide to choose, has been very apparent. To have someone so invested in me as a person as well as the work I do has been a very positive and rewarding experience.”
“Joe was very good at bringing me back to a balanced position and even better at teaching me how to remain balanced,” said the anonymous trainee who nominated him for this award. “He has brought me inspiration and opportunities that pushed my goals, reinforced my conviction, and strengthened my work ethic resulting in scientific accomplishments far beyond anything I could have imagined for myself.” |
Dr. Arboleda-Velasquez joined the full-time HMS faculty in 2014 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship in Dr. Patricia D’Amore’s laboratory. Through research, he aims to elucidate the biology and pathophysiology underlying small-vessel diseases, including diabetic retinopathy.