ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices
Bringing together the extraordinary mix of women that are a part of ASLMS
ASLMS recognizes and honors women in energy-based devices. Our focus is women from all specialties involved in ASLMS including scientists, clinicians, allied health practitioners, and industry partners.
Celebration of ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices
Thursday, April 13 | 5:00 – 6:30 PM | 300 Level | Hall C
Join us for the 8th Annual Celebration of ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices (WEBD) for networking and inspiration. Enjoy complimentary light hors d'oeuvres, beverages, outstanding speakers, great conversations, and more!
WEBD Committee Chair: Mona Sadeghpour, MD
Featured Speaker: Zeina Tannous, MD
Melanie C. Grossman, MD Award for Leadership, Mentorship, and Advocacy for Women in Medical Science Speaker: Zakia Rahman, MD
ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices Early Career Development Award: Riana D. Sanyal, MD, MSc
Event and awards sponsored by Coolsculpting® Elite
On-Demand recordings from ASLMS 2023 are available! Register today to enjoy 40+ education sessions with 50+ hours of content.
Melanie C. Grossman, MD Award for Leadership, Mentorship, and Advocacy for Women in Medical Science
The ASLMS Leadership, Mentorship & Public Advocacy for Women in Medical Science Award was established in 2015 to honor an individual who has significantly promoted the professional development of women in specialties using lasers and/or energy-based devices, through teaching, mentoring, organizational leadership, or public advocacy.
In 2021, the award was renamed to honor Melanie C. Grossman, MD, a long-standing member of the ASLMS, 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 brilliance in her field will continue to be remembered through this annual award.
The award is presented each year during the Celebration of ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices Event.
2023 Melanie C. Grossman, MD Award for Leadership, Mentorship & Public Advocacy for Women in Medical Science Recipient and Presentation
Recipient: Zakia Rahman, MD
Thank you to the 2023 sponsor of this award: Coolsculpting® Elite
ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices Early Career
Development Award
This award is given in recognition of a high-quality abstract study, submitted by the abstract deadline, by an Early Career author and accepted to an abstract session for the current ASLMS Annual Conference.
The selected awardee receives an award plaque and $500. The award is presented each year during the Celebration of ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices Event.
2023 Women in Energy-Based Devices Early Career Development Award Recipient and Presentation
Recipient: Riana D. Sanyal, MD, MSc
Thank you to the 2023 sponsor of this award: Coolsculpting® Elite
About ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices
Juanita J. Anders, PhD founded the ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices group in 2015. Dr. Anders is affiliated with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences as a Professor of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Professor of Neuroscience. She served as ASLMS President from 2014-2015.
The goals of this group are to:
- Highlight the excellence of women involved in ASLMS
- Address the challenges women may confront in academic and other professional settings
- Advance networking and training opportunities for ASLMS women
- Educate ASLMS members about gender-bias
- Encourage young women to choose STEM careers especially those involving energy-based technologies

Juanita J. Anders, PhD
Mentorship
"Mentorship is the key to how we can support our younger colleagues. It is about academic guidance. You have to teach colleagues how to do high quality research, how to write a scientific paper, how to deliver lectures, and so on. But it is also about mental guidance, determining what drives them, what motivates them. The best mentors not only act as relatable role models, but also take steps to identify what drives the individual, where their strengths lie and how far each would like to go."
Merete Haedersdal, MD, PhD, DMSc
ASLMS 2019 Recipient of the ASLMS Leadership, Mentorship &
Public Advocacy for Women in Medical Science Award
Dr. Kristen Kelly, 2018 chair of the ASLMS Women in Energy-Based Devices (WEBD) committee, interviews Dr. Merete Hædersdal, featured speaker at the WEBD Celebration event in 2018.
Supporting Early Career Members
Tough Love in the Research Setting
Kristen M. Kelly, MD
ASLMS PRESIDENT 2016-17
Dr. Kristen Kelly reflects on ASLMS and the mentorship she received
I attended my first ASLMS meeting in San Diego in 1998. I presented a multi-center study in the Cutaneous session. At the time, the audience seemed quite large. Ken Arndt and Jeff Dover were running the session and helped me feel welcome on the podium. My mentor for the project was J. Stuart Nelson and working on this project allowed me to work with other prominent laser surgeons including Gary Lask and Roy Geronemus. I loved the meeting and the science that was presented. I made sure to ask questions and to attend the events so I could interact with some of the leadership. Each year after 1998, I became a little more involved in the Society until last year when I had the honor of serving as the Society president. The ASLMS has given me many opportunities and has provided me mentors and colleagues that I consult throughout the year. My career would not be the same without the ASLMS.
Highlights from 2022 Celebration