During the 2023 American Society of Echocardiography Scientific Sessions, Rebecca Hahn, MD, FASE, was recognized as the ASE 2023 Physician Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Hahn is currently the Director of Interventional Echocardiography, Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy at Columbia University in New York, NY, and Chief Scientific Officer for the Cardiovascular Research Foundation. Image courtesy: Columbia University
June 27, 2023 — The 2023 American Society of Echocardiography Scientific Sessions, ASE 2023, “Foundations and the future of cardiovascular ultrasound” was held June 23-26, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. The DAIC editorial team has compiled a summary of the prestigious awards and key lecturers featured by ASE 2023 program planners. Recipients were recognized at the ASE Education Foundation Research Awards Gala on Sunday, June 25, during the ASE Scientific Sessions 2023.
Physician Lifetime Achievement
The ASE Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have had a lifetime of outstanding achievements in the field of cardiovascular ultrasound, and have served as role models through service, research, and teaching. These individuals have a career in cardiovascular ultrasound spanning at least 25 years and are recognized at local, national, and international levels.
Rebecca Hahn, MD, FASE, has been named the 2023 Physician Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. She is currently the Director of Interventional Echocardiography, Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy at Columbia University in New York, NY, and Chief Scientific Officer for the Cardiovascular Research Foundation.
As noted by the ASE in announcing the award, Hahn has led the way as interventional echocardiography has evolved over the last 20 years. This includes leading creative applications of novel 3D TEE imaging for valve dysfunction, followed by a global effort to define the role of echo imaging for TAVI, then highly nuanced teaching of MitraClip and other mitral procedures, and teaching about tricuspid valve imaging and intervention. At each major technical and procedural advance, noted ASE’s award summary, Hahn has been at the front line defining the field and teaching everyone how to follow. Hahn has served on numerous ASE committees, task forces, and writing groups as well as the Board of Directors and volunteered for ASE Foundation Global Outreach events.
Richard Popp Excellence in Teaching
This ASE teaching award is given in honor of the Society’s second president, Richard L. Popp, MD, FASE, and recognizes physicians who epitomize the ideal qualities possessed by a mentor and role model.
Recognized for her profound knowledge in cardiology and echocardiography and as a selfless leader, mentor and teacher, Cynthia Taub, MD, MBA, FASE, was named the 22nd annual recipient of the Richard Popp Excellence in Teaching Award. Taub is currently Section Chief in Cardiovascular Medicine Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Professor of Medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH. She has mentored over 100 people during her career and been recognized with three other teaching awards.
Excellence in Teaching Pediatrics
Established in 2005, this biennial award recognizes ASE members for their exceptional commitment and skill mentoring students, serving as a role model for the profession, and teaching pediatric echocardiography.
Peter Frommelt, MD, FASE, was honored as the 2023 recipient of the Excellence in Teaching in Pediatrics Award. For over 30 Dr. Frommelt served as the Director of Pediatric Echocardiography at Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI. He started both the pediatric cardiology fellowship program and the 4th year non-invasive imaging fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin and served as the program director of both of these programs. Frommelt’s reputation for excellence and efficiency made him a resource to leaders in the field around the world. He has been a part of many landmark multi-institutional research studies for the pediatric heart network.
Cardiovascular Sonographer Distinguished Teacher
This award is given every other year and recognizes an active sonographer instructor who is attentive to cardiovascular sonography professional values and who exhibits values of leadership and dedication to the field of echocardiography for past, current, and future cardiovascular sonographers.
Richard Palma, BS, ACS, RCCS, RCS, RDCS, FASE, is the 2023 recipient of the Cardiovascular Sonographer Distinguished Teacher Award. He is currently the Director and Clinical Coordinator of the Duke School of Medicine Cardiac Ultrasound Certificate Program, in Durham, NC.
Palma has an expert knowledge in echocardiography and concern that all learners understand the information he is presenting. His willingness to share his expertise and experiences to help advance in the field of echocardiography is unmatched. He is a mentor and role model for both sonographers and physicians and a visionary for the profession of diagnostic medical sonography.
Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Echocardiography
The Council recognizes an individual who has made significant clinical, research, or educational contributions to the development of the field of perioperative echocardiography with the presentation of this award.
The 10th recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Echocardiography Award is Madhav Swaminathan, MD, MMCi, FASE. He is currently a Cardiac Anesthesiologist at Duke Medical Center and Professor of Anesthesiology and Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs at Duke University, Durham, NC.
Dr. Swaminathan is recognized for his passion and enthusiasm for the specialties of anesthesiology and echocardiography. He is a highly regarded mentor who has over 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals on the field of perioperative echocardiography. His inclusive approach to echocardiography has been instrumental in engaging not only sonographers and physicians, but also the next generation of perioperative echocardiographers. Dr. Swaminathan was the first anesthesiologist to deliver the Feigenbaum Lecture in 2015 and also to serve as ASE President, 2019-2020.
Additional awards were presented during the opening Plenary session held on Saturday, June 24, and include:
Mentorship
The 2023 Mentorship Award recipient is Allan Klein, MD, FASE. He currently serves Staff Cardiologist, Heart and Vascular Institute, Director of the Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pericardial Diseases, Cleveland Clinic, and Professor of Medicine at Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, OH.
Dr. Klein’s exceptional commitment to mentorship has enabled him to help both physicians and sonographers navigate their careers, and increase their network and collaborations with peers. His mentees describe him as a great listener, generous, approachable, encouraging, and supportive. Dr. Klein has been actively involved with ASE for his entire career serving on many committees and task forces and as the ASE President 2016-2017. His deep understanding of the Society has allowed him to mentor research award finalists, committee chairs, board members, and ASE Leadership Academy members.
Meritorious Service
ASE presented William Zoghbi, MD, FASE, with the 2023 Meritorious Service Award, which recognizes individual members for their substantial and generous efforts to the Society’s betterment. Zoghbi is the Elkins Family Distinguished Chair in Cardiac Health, Chairman of the Department of Cardiology at The Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, and Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and the Institute of Academic Medicine, Houston, TX.
Zoghbi is a world-renowned teacher, researcher, and clinician in cardiology, echocardiography, and cardiac imaging. He has been actively involved with ASE for more than 30 years and served as president 2008-2009. A sought-after mentor, he has trained over 100 cardiology fellows in advanced cardiovascular imaging, many of whom now hold positions of leadership worldwide. He is a researcher in ischemic heart disease, myocardial function and hibernation, and is also known for his development of echocardiographic techniques to evaluate valvular disease.
Special Speakers Present ASE Lectures
Gardin Lecture
In presenting the Gardin Lecture, ASE program planners noted that ASE is proud to have George Mensah, MD, Director of The Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science (CTRIS) at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), have delivered the 5th Annual Gardin Lecture, “Echocardiography and the Global Burden of Cardiovascular Disease: The Crucial Role of Implementation Science” on Sunday, June 25. This lectureship was established in honor of ASE Past President and 1st Scientific Sessions Chair, Julius Gardin, MD, FASE. Dr. Gardin mentored numerous physicians and sonographers and this lecture series supports his passion for education by providing funding to bring a luminary speaker to the Scientific Sessions every year.
Kalmanson Lecturer
The ASE Foundation recognized Gianni Pedrizzetti, PhD, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy, as the 2023 Kalmanson Lecturer. Established in memory of Professor Daniel Kalmanson, a pioneer in the use of Doppler echocardiography, and funded through a grant from the International Cardiac Doppler Society (ICDS), this annual lectureship provides a forum for honoring worthy investigators while promoting research and education in cardiovascular Doppler ultrasound. Dr. Pedrizzetti will present his lecture entitled “Vorticity: From First Principles to Clinical Application in Cardiology” during the Engineering in the Echo Lab: Building the Future session.
Feigenbaum Lecture
This lecture was named in honor of the founder and first president of ASE, Harvey Feigenbaum, MD, FASE. This lectureship is awarded to a young investigator in recognition of their significant contributions to research in the field of echocardiography and their potential to continue at a high level of achievement.
Rima Arnaout, MD, FASE, presented the 24th Annual Feigenbaum Lecture titled “ChatGPT Helped Me Write This Talk Title, But Can It Read an Echocardiogram?” Dr. Arnaout is a Cardiologist, Artificial Intelligence Researcher, and Assistant Professor in Medicine at UCSF Health, San Francisco, CA. She is also a faculty member in the Biological and Medical Informatics Graduate Program at the Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute and the Center for Intelligent Imaging.
ASE Background
ASE is the Society for cardiovascular ultrasound professionals, based in Durham, NC. It is the largest global organization for cardiovascular ultrasound imaging serving physicians, sonographers, nurses, veterinarians, and scientists and as such is the leader and advocate, setting practice standards and guidelines for the field, committed to advancing cardiovascular ultrasound to improve lives.
ASE has six councils that provide members with an opportunity to be involved with one or more subspecialty group to enhance their careers and knowledge, which include: Cardiovascular Sonography; Circulation & Vascular Ultrasound; Critical Care Echocardiography; Interventional Echocardiography; Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease; and Perioperative Echocardiography.
More information: www.asecho.org
June 08, 2023 
