James Wolffsohn is a Professor of Optometry, Head of the Audiology Department and Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Integrity. He has been an academic at Aston University since 2000 after a postdoctoral period in Melbourne, Australia. He trained and qualified as a professional optometrist (eye care practitioner) and still practices, specializing in dry eye and contact lenses, so that his teaching can stay attuned with the needs of the evolving profession. Interaction with patients directly informs his teaching and translation of academic evidence to teaching best practice.
His learning and teaching philosophy is driven by a passionate belief that evidence-based practice must be firmly driven by research-evidence, while taking into account clinical experience, and the preferences and environment of the patient. He principally lectures and runs seminars in optometry at undergraduate and postgraduate level, but he is also responsible for clinical teaching, clinic development and student research projects.
He has been a programme director and Head of School in Optometry, Biomedical Engineering (a new programme he established at Aston University) and Audiology/Healthcare Science. He was Deputy Dean of the College of Life and Health Sciences for 7 years and he is now a pro-vice chancellor. Through his leadership he reformed learning spaces and timetabling, ethics and research integrity across the university. He also has leadership roles within national (such as the British Contact Lens Association and British and Irish Universities and Colleges Committee of Contact Lens Educators) and international (such as the International Society of Contact Lens Educators, International Myopia Institute and Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society) professional bodies, embedding his educational approach globally. He continues to teach actively on a number of programmes, leading from the front with respect to learning and teaching excellence and transforming the student experience. Notable achievements include the introduction of the first Professional Doctorate in Optometry/Ophthalmic Science in the world, the early adoption of technology enhance teaching methodologies and leading evidence-based consensus reports in dry eyes, myopia management and contact lenses to consolidate research findings to inform the teaching of best practice.