ASCRS News: ASCRS Foundation update
Fall 2025
The ASCRS Foundation offers several unique award and grant opportunities. Submission periods for several of these awards are open now. Don’t miss the chance to apply and/or nominate for the Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award, the Young Eye Surgeons (YES) International Service Grant, and the Resident Excellence Awards. Submission periods for Operation Sight Grants and the Volunteer of the Year Award will open at a later time. The ASCRS Foundation is also now welcoming industry partners to sponsor the 2026 awards. Companies interested in supporting one of these awards can reach out to Laura Rousseau at Lrousseau@ascrs.org. Additional information can be found on the ASCRS Foundation website.
Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award
Submissions open August 11–October 1
Endowed by a generous gift from David and Victoria Chang, the ASCRS Foundation Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award was established in 2017 to honor and recognize outstanding humanitarian work in the field of cataract blindness and disability. The award is given annually to celebrate the charitable accomplishments of an individual or organization working in the United States or abroad. The recipient is recognized at the ASCRS Annual Meeting, and a $100,000 prize is donated in their honor to a charitable ophthalmic organization of their choice. In 2020, the Foundation’s highest honor was renamed the Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award to recognize the exemplary life and commitment to humanitarian service of Alan S. Crandall, MD. The recipient of the 2025 award was Elena Barraquer, MD.
Applicants who are not selected remain eligible to receive the award at a later date unless otherwise withdrawn.
Young Eye Surgeons (YES) International Service Grant
Submissions open August 11–September 29
The Young Eye Surgeons International Service Grant was created to inspire young eye surgeons to become involved with global eyecare on a long-term basis. The grant affords the opportunity to participate in healthcare systems, including teaching institutions and community programs, in developing countries.
Working with the ASCRS Foundation and its international partners, recipients get to develop a customized international volunteer plan that provides the opportunity for a young eye surgeon to learn firsthand the intricacies behind global eyecare efforts. Grant requirements include:
- Maintain active ASCRS membership
- Present project plans and experience at two ASCRS Annual Meetings
- Quarterly project status updates
- Complete international travel within 18 months
The 2025 grantees were Tony Mai, MD, Van Nguyen, MD, Sana Qureshi, MD, and Imane Tarib, MD.
Resident Excellence Awards
Submissions open September 1–November 14
The ASCRS Foundation makes 10 awards annually to enable ophthalmology residents exhibiting exemplary performance to attend the ASCRS Annual Meeting. The categories for consideration include research, patient care, leadership, and education.
Recipients of the 2025 Resident Excellence Awards were Sejal Lahoti, MD (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center), Delaram Mirzania, MD (University of Michigan), Enchi Chang, MD (Harvard University), Keke Liu, MD (Duke University), Andrew Duong, MD (University of So. California), Suleman Khan, MD (Boston University), Esteban Peralta, MD (Duke University), Yilin “Eileen” Feng, MD (Harvard University), Diana Khair, MD (University of Kentucky), and Mélanie Hébert, MD (Laval University).
The 2025 Resident Excellence Awards were generously sponsored by STAAR Surgical. During the 2025 ASCRS Annual Meeting, winners were recognized at a special reception with representatives from STAAR, physicians, and ASCRS Foundation staff. They had the chance to network and hear from Scott Barnes, MD, Chief Medical Officer of STAAR.
