Melanie C. Grossman, MD Award for Leadership, Mentorship, and Advocacy for Women in Medical Science

The ASLMS Leadership, Mentorship & Advocacy for Women in Medical Science Award was established in 2015 by the ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices Committee with the purpose of honoring an individual, either male or female, who has significantly promoted the…

In 2021, the award was renamed to honor Melanie C. Grossman, MD, a long-standing ASLMS member who passed away early in the year. Dr. Grossman’s contributions to lasers and energy-based devices were significant, and she was a good friend to many of our members. Her contributions to our Society and her brilliance in her field will continue to be remembered through this annual award.

This award may be given to either ASLMS members or non-members. It will be presented at the Celebration of ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices event at the Annual Conference. The award recipient will receive a plaque and $1,000 and will be required to present a brief talk at the event.

The award is given annually at the Celebration of ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices event.
Thank you to the 2026 sponsor of this award: Candela Medical

The candidate must meet the following criteria:

Embody the spirit and intent of the award through his or her excellence in leadership, mentoring, and continuous promotion of the professional development of women in specialties using energy-based devices

No award will be granted to any person if the award would be contrary to any United States law, including but not limited to trade embargoes administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

AWARD SPONSORSHIP, CANDIDATE SELECTION, AND RECUSAL

To avoid bias, those individuals associated with the noted sponsor must recuse themselves from both submitting nominations and from participating in award selection.
The Women in Energy-Based Devices Committee members will review nominees and determine the award recipient. To avoid bias, those individuals associated with the noted sponsor must recuse from both submitting nominations and from participating in award selection.

2026 Recipient

Fernanda H. Sakamoto, MD, PhD

Past Recipients

2025 – Christine C. Dierickx, MD
2024 – Kristen M. Kelly, MD
2023 – Zakia Rahman, MD
2022 – Macrene R. Alexiades, MD, PhD
2021 – Suzanne L. Kilmer, MD
2020 – Juanita Anders, PhD
2019 – Merete Haedersdal, MD, PhD, DMSc
2018 – Tina S. Alster, MD
2017 – Jill S. Waibel, MD
2016 – Victoria Reggie Kennedy