CIRC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Leadership Challenges, Networking, and Trust
Job Titles:
- Public Relations Specialist
Neurologist Adeel Memon, M.D., will add a Ph.D. from UAB's new neuroengineering program at the spring graduate commencement ceremony April 29. Finding a cure for neurological disorders such as Parkinson's, which affects his father, could take decades, Memon said. "But with brain-computer interfaces, we can do something now to help alleviate patients' symptoms, while the work to a cure continues." Photo by Steve Wood Adeel Memon had everything worked out.
Amy Amara, M.D., Ph.D., (above) was one of Memon's thesis advisors and Memon credits her with teaching him how to be a physician-scientist. After Memon arrived at UAB for his neurology residency, he heard department chair David Standaert, M.D., Ph.D., talk about the value of mentorship. "I had never heard of such a thing," Memon said. "But I started looking for one and found Dr. Amara."The Department of Neurology is led by David Standaert, M.D., Ph.D., a world-renowned leader in experimental treatments for movement disorders and other neurodegenerative conditions - exactly the kind of clinician-scientist that Memon wanted to become. (He was also attracted to UAB's neurology residency program because of Professor Khurram Bashir, M.D., whom Memon describes as "the best residency director" and the other physicians in the program. "After meeting all of them, I was left with the impression that they were committed not only to providing a great learning environment but also to providing excellent care to their residents," Memon said.)
Getting training in research was always part of Memon's plan, although he had more enthusiasm than preparation on his CV. In Pakistan, students go straight into medical school from high school, so Memon did not have the required classes - or the funding to pursue a Ph.D. - when he first got to UAB. But that did not stop him. After he started his residency in 2015, Memon took to heart Standaert's answer to a fellow trainee who asked about his path to success. "To become a successful physician-scientist, he said, it was essential to have a good mentor," Memon said. "I had never heard of such a thing. I didn't have a mentor as a medical student in Pakistan; it is a very American concept. But I started looking for one and found Dr. Amara."
Amara is another clinician-scientist in the neurology department, with a research focus on the effects of exercise on sleep, cognitive function and other non-movement symptoms in Parkinson's. "She knew I had no experience with research, but she still decided to take a chance on me," Memon said. "She knew I was interested in a physician-scientist career, and I became her first graduate student. We started with baby steps, such as how to write an abstract and come up with a hypothesis. The three years I spent in Dr. Amara's lab made me competitive to be successful in my R25 application, and I defended my thesis with data collected in her lab."
"Adeel is a compassionate physician, a conscientious and astute scientist, and a perpetual optimist. He views obstacles as opportunities and approaches them with enthusiasm. He is extremely hardworking, kind and a pleasure to work with." - Amy Amara, M.D., Ph.D.
Job Titles:
- Librarian
- Director & Librarian, J. Ellis Sparks Medical Library Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Director of External Public Relations
Job Titles:
- Systems & Technology Support Specialist
Job Titles:
- Reference Librarian & Liaison to the School of Nursing Instructor
Job Titles:
- Development Specialist in Organizational Learning
- Learning and Development Specialist
Learning and development specialist Amber Anderson was selected as one of the Birmingham Business Journal's "Top 40 Under 40" for 2021.
Amber Anderson, organization development specialist in Organizational Learning and Development; Kristen Campbell, associate registrar in the Office of the Registrar; Jayme Hester, administrative projects specialist in the Center for Clinical and Translational Science; Kevin Speed, director of Administration and Fiscal Affairs for the Department of Neurobiology and Civitan International Research Center; and Donna Williamson, director of Research Safety Committees in the Office of Research, are the third-quarter 2022 honorees for the UAB Shared Values in Action Program. The UAB VIP Awards honor employees whose work exemplifies and embodies one or more of the university's shared values - integrity, stewardship, collaboration, accountability, respect, excellence and achievement, and diversity and inclusiveness.
Amber Anderson Anderson has devoted much of her time and her career to helping students and colleagues reach their potential and often exceed their goals.
"I have watched Amber over the past 14 years facilitate, teach and grow departments in building and fostering relationships to form communities. She's creative, innovative and a problem-solver in conflict," said Theresa Wynn-Wallace, Ph.D., retired program director in the Division of Preventive Medicine.
Anderson's dedication to UAB's shared values of collaboration and excellence and achievement has led to the development of several programs and resources focused on improving lives and building better futures throughout campus and beyond.
Anderson began her career as a biology teacher in Jefferson County before joining Preventative Medicine, where she worked on initiatives aimed at decreasing breast and cervical cancer rates among women in underserved areas. While working in the division, she created a curriculum focused on nutrition and physical activity for children from kindergarten through eighth grade, which was later presented to Michelle Obama, former first lady of the United States, during her 2021 visit to Birmingham.
Anderson then joined the Collat School of Business, where she led a student internship program for high school students in Birmingham and Wilcox County working to provide opportunities in both business and medicine; she also developed career programs for Collat students. In her current role in Organizational Learning and Development, Amber helps UAB employees across campus expand skill sets and grown their UAB careers.
Anderson's commitment to collaboration and excellence, two of UAB's shared values, also has been recognized outside of UAB. In 2021, she was named one of Birmingham Business Journal's Top 40 under 40.
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant, Dean 's Offic
Job Titles:
- Emergency Medicine Physician
Job Titles:
- Institutional Repository Outreach Librarian / Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Public Relations Specialist
Job Titles:
- Digital Strategy & Metadata Librarian / Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President
- Chief
- Associate Vice President and Chief of UAB Police
- Member of the Commission
Anthony Purcell, associate vice president and chief of UAB Police and Public Safety, has announced he will retire, effective June 1, following a 15-year tenure with the vast safety and security enterprise he helped build.
Anthony Purcell, associate vice president and chief of police Anthony Purcell, associate vice president and chief of police, has been re-elected to a second term as president of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) for 2020. CALEA maintains a body of standards to consistently improve accreditation management in law enforcement.
"It is truly an honor to be re-selected for this role and to represent our UAB Police and Public Safety Department on a national level," Purcell said.
UAB was first accredited by CALEA in 1995, and it is reaffirmed it every three years. Purcell has been a member of the commission since 2013 and previously served as its treasurer and vice president.
Job Titles:
- Manager
- UAB Benefits Staff Member
Job Titles:
- Electronic Resources Librarian / Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Public Relations Manager, Health and Medicine
Leads external communications in healthcare, biomedical research and for UAB's six professional schools; Dentistry, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, Optometry and Public Health. Shepard and his team proactively tell the story of UAB health and medicine, including patient stories, innovative research and new therapies, through original content and extensive collaborations with local, national and international media. The team works reactively to ensure appropriate experts are connected with media within their deadline.
Job Titles:
- Interim Associate Dean / School of Education
Job Titles:
- Employee News / UAB Reporter
Job Titles:
- Public Relations Specialist
Job Titles:
- Reference Librarian & Liaison to the Social Sciences / Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- HUB Desk Supervisor, User Access
Job Titles:
- Director of Recruitment, Scholarships, and Student Engagement / School of Education
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
Job Titles:
- Curator of the Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences / Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director, Office of Student Services
Job Titles:
- Metadata & Collections Assistant
Job Titles:
- Reference Librarian & Liaison to the School of Dentistry and School of Optometry / Instructor
Job Titles:
- Director of Assessment Management and Analysis
Job Titles:
- Reference Librarian & Liaison to the School of Education / Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Systems Librarian / Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Department: User Access
- Library Assistant II
Job Titles:
- Head of the Mervyn H. Sterne Library Department of Research and Learning. Information Literacy Coordinator and Liaison to English
Job Titles:
- Director for Research Safety Committees
Donna Williamson In her role as director for Research Safety Committees, Williamson directly contributes to UAB researchers securing research funding and staying safe. Many funding resources require certain safety standards, which are ensured by her department.
Job Titles:
- Head of Emerging Technology and System Development Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Graphic Design, Spent Two Weeks at a Mississippi Wildlife Refuge Creating a Poetic Map of Endangered Red - Cockaded Woodpecker Habitats
Doug Barrett, associate professor of graphic design, spent two weeks at a Mississippi wildlife refuge creating a poetic map of endangered red-cockaded woodpecker habitats.
Job Titles:
- Interlibrary Loan Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Clinical Services Librarian / Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Business Officer II
- Department: User Access
Farah Lubin, Ph.D., associate professor of neurobiology, and Michelle Gray, Ph.D., associate professor of neurology, were listed among those singled out by a leading publisher of cutting-edge biomedical and physical science research.
Frank Messina is the nation's only faculty athletics representative selected for a four-year term on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee, which promotes the health, education and safety of student-athletes.
Gayan Wijeratne, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, is studying versatile molecules with heme iron centers that could be useful in new cancer therapies and greener, cheaper fuel cells. He also will use this grant to attract more high school students to higher education in science.
Job Titles:
- Department: User Access
- Library Assistant II
Philosophy Professor Gregory E. Pence, Ph.D., is a man of action who works with people across campus - and the community - to get things done.
Job Titles:
- Public Relations Specialist
Job Titles:
- HUB Desk Supervisor, Research & Learning
Job Titles:
- Metadata Librarian for Electronic Resources / Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Associate Director
- Distinguished Member
Jake Chen, Ph.D., associate director of the Informatics Institute, is the first ACM member in Alabama to be honored as a Distinguished Member in this category.
Job Titles:
- Reference Librarian & Liaison to the School of Public Health / Assistant Professor
Jayme Hester In her role with CCTS, Hester implements special projects and events, manages facilities, helps recruit and onboard new members and serves as a liaison between the CCTS and other UAB departments, such as Human Resources. She has been a Blazer for more than 20 years, and in that time has inspired admiration and support among her colleagues; a dozen letters of recommendation are a testament to the impact she has made.
Many of her colleagues recall Hester welcoming them to the CCTS team, and her inclusive and respectful welcome left a positive impression.
"[She] welcomed me and made me feel part of the group," said John Trombley, program administrator. "She made a great effort to help me coexist in my new environment and gave me very needed and appropriate suggestions on how I can assimilate into the office culture of the CCTS."
"Ms. Hester was a key contact early in the hiring and onboarding process. She made sure that I had all the information that I needed to make the transition smooth and welcoming as I joined the CCTS team," said Jessica Bumpus, Ph.D., program director for the Training Academy.
Hester is also willing and able to collaborate, nominators say.
"Jamye is always willing to help and is the ultimate collaborator," said Katie Bradford, communicators director. "Recently, our center celebrated a large-scale event where I was leading planning efforts. It was our first in-person event post-pandemic, but also my first-ever large event to plan since my arrival at UAB. When planning became a bit overwhelming for me, Jamye stepped in to create the most wonderful outcome I could have imagined. She respected and supported all my ideas and encouraged me constantly along the way. She worked so hard alongside me. I felt so confident and was able to have fun as we got closer to the event. The support was incredible, and Jamye was so happy to help me. It was not her project or responsibility, but she saw an opportunity to help and stepped in. We are a better team because of her."
"As the CCTS is an interdisciplinary center, she works extremely hard to be sure everyone is appropriately included and the communications are reaching all those it should," said Geoff Gordon, chief technology officer. "She works very well with SOM administration and HR as well as other areas around campus; there is no problem she won't help to address."
Job Titles:
- Department: User Access
- Library Assistant II
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Research & Scholarly Communication
Job Titles:
- Archives Associate
- Department: Special Collections
Job Titles:
- Co - Director of Clinical Experiences / Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Job Titles:
- STEM Librarian and Liaison to the Sciences, Engineering, and Mathematics / Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Head of the Lister Hill Library Department of Clinical, Academic, and Research Engagement. Liaison to UAB
Jill Deaver
Head of the Lister Hill Library Department of Clinical, Academic, and Research Engagement.
Liaison to UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Associate Professor
Joe Appleton, Ph.D., founding dean of UAB's School of Engineering Joe Appleton, Ph.D., founding dean of UAB's School of Engineering, died Jan. 17 at age 91. The school was created in 1971, two years after UAB became an independent university in 1969, and Appleton helmed the school until 1978.
Appleton was born in Albertville, Alabama, in 1927. He earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Auburn University in 1947 and master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Illinois. He served on the faculty both there and at North Carolina State University before moving to Birmingham in the early 1960s to direct the fledgling engineering program at the University of Alabama's extension center in Birmingham, and he remained here after UAB was established in 1969.
"For years after that, whenever I mentioned I was from UAB, people would respond, 'Oh, Joe Appleton's school.' People around the country knew that he had started this program almost single-handedly, and those of us who came later were respected because we worked with Joe Appleton."
When he was named as director of the undergraduate engineering program in 1963, Appleton arranged for classes to be held in conference rooms and laboratories all over Birmingham until an engineering building could be built that same year on what is now known as University Boulevard. That original building is now UAB's Cudworth Building.
When he retired from the deanship in 1978, he stayed on faculty, during which he hired Fouad Fouad, Ph.D., current chair of the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering in 1981.
"He was very generous with his time," Fouad said. "When we traveled together to professional society meetings, he would introduce me to national leaders in different engineering fields, which had a tremendous impact on my career.
"For years after that, whenever I mentioned I was from UAB, people would respond, 'Oh, Joe Appleton's school.' People around the country knew that he had started this program almost single-handedly, and those of us who came later were respected because we worked with Joe Appleton."
Joe Appleton, Ph.D., founding dean of UAB's School of Engineering, died Jan. 17. The school was created in 1971, two years after UAB became an independent university in 1969, and Appleton helmed the school until 1978.
Job Titles:
- Reference Librarian & Liaison to the Collat School of Business / Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- UAB Benefits Staff Member
- Benefits Counselor
Job Titles:
- Dean of University Libraries
Job Titles:
- UAB Benefits Staff Member
- Benefits Counselor
Job Titles:
- UAB Benefits Staff Member
- HR Associate
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Technology & Technical Services / Associate Professor
Kevin Speed Speed has worked at UAB for more than 25 years and is a crucial member of his department and a valued resource, nominators note.
"Kevin Speed is an unassuming, understated hero at UAB," said Craig Powell, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair in the Department of Neurobiology.
Job Titles:
- Technology Collections Management Associate
Kristen Campbell Campbell was nominated for this award by a collection of faculty representing the Heersink School of Medicine undergraduate biomedical programs, all of whom noted they rely on her to keep their majors and programs successful.
"Kristen has been critical in the implementation and ongoing administration of each of our majors; this is notable, because implementing and running novel joint programs requires constant innovation, unique processes and procedures, and inexhaustible patience, especially in dealing with parallel administrations," said Cristin Gavin, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurobiology.
"Being such a young program means that we frequently encounter new issues with regard to creating courses, managing current courses and navigating rules and processes involving the registrar's office," wrote one program director. "I email Kristen often with questions about problems activating courses in CLSS or changes in courses that cause workflow issues or require Catalog changes. But importantly, I have also asked Kristen for help figuring out more unique problems that she likely doesn't see often."
Campbell currently is collaborating on an automated research approval and registration tool for Heersink's diverse programs.
"The tool has both student and faculty-facing interfaces and integrates with BlazerNet to facilitate overrides for mentored research," Gavin explained. "[Kristen's] ingenuity, attention to detail and understanding of UAB systems has saved us, our advisors, our faculty and our students countless man hours by designing this streamlined process."
Campbell is known for her accountability, quality work and speed, a program director notes.
"She gets things done so fast," they explained. "Accountability and dependability are through the roof."
"Kristen always responds in the same day, often within the hour, and if she does not have the answer - which is rare - she copies someone in on the communication that can help me," another colleague said. "Her timely and efficient responses help me solve problems quickly and effectively. Importantly, Kristen provides explanations for the solutions that she provides, which has allowed me to better understand and learn the processes so that I can continue to develop my administrative skills as a director of an undergraduate academic program."
Campbell's colleagues also praised the respect and patience she displays in all her interactions and collaborations.
"Regardless of if the question is big or small, or one we have asked once or for the hundredth time, Kristen is courteous, thorough and knowledgeable," Gavin said.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Reference Librarian / Instructor
Louis Justement, Ph.D., has been named president-elect for the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
Job Titles:
- Head of Digitization & Digital Preservation / Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Chaplain and Senior Director of UAB Pastoral Care, Was Honored in February With the UAB President 's Award for Excellence in Shared Values
Malcolm Marler, D.Min., chaplain and senior director of UAB Pastoral Care, was honored in February with the UAB President's Award for Excellence in Shared Values.
Job Titles:
- Research Data Management Librarian / Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Fine Arts Librarian and Liaison to Art and Art History, World Languages and Literatures, Music, Philosophy, and Theatre / Assistant Professor
Martha Dawson, DNP Assistant Professor Martha Dawson, DNP, has been elected president of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) and will lead its mission to be "the voice for black nurses and diverse populations ensuring equal access to professional development, promoting educational opportunities and improving health." Dawson, a member of the Birmingham Black Nurses Association chapter, will be sworn in for a two-year term during the 47th annual NBNA Institute and Conference in New Orleans July 23- 28.
Job Titles:
- Director of Clinical Experienc
Job Titles:
- Administrative Services Associate
Job Titles:
- Reference Librarian & Liaison to the School of Health Professions / Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Public Relations Specialist
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- UAB Benefits Staff Member
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean for User Access & Diversity / Assistant Professor
On June 19, 2022, Michael Sloane, Ph.D., crossed a rain-soaked finish line in Rio de Janeiro and capped a quest that began seven years before in Chicago: to run a marathon on each of the planet's seven continents.
Unlike many of the 800-plus people who have completed that feat over the years, Sloane is not a marathon fanatic. Three Norwegian runners he met in Rio had completed exactly 1,000 marathons between them by the time they finished that race. "That strikes me as inefficient!" said Sloane, who is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and directs the University Honors Program, a specialized program in the UAB Honors College. The seven marathons he has completed over the past 7.7 years are the only ones he has ever run.
Job Titles:
- Assistant in UAB Student Housing
Morgan Peach, graduate assistant in UAB Student Housing and Residence Life, created a series of short training videos entirely in Spanish to familiarize cleaning crews contracted for the World Games with UAB's processes and protocols - ensuring UAB puts its best foot forward while on the world stage.
Job Titles:
- Benefits Analyst
- UAB Benefits Staff Member
Job Titles:
- Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Is Recognized for Decades of Contribution to the Student - Housing Experience
Patricia Martinez, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, is recognized for decades of contribution to the student-housing experience.
Job Titles:
- Department: User Access
- Technology Labs Manager
Job Titles:
- Curator of the Reynolds - Finley Historical Library Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Head of Resource Acquisitions & Discovery / Associate Professor
Neurologist Peter King, M.D., shares his experience coming to terms with telehealth.
Job Titles:
- President
- President of UAB
Job Titles:
- Systematic Reviews Coordinator / Assistant Professor
Neurobiology Professor Robin Lester, Ph.D., winner of the Ellen Gregg Ingalls Award/UAB NAS Award for Lifetime Achievement in Teaching, has distinguished himself at the bench and in the classroom.
Job Titles:
- Public Relations Manager, Traditional University Campus
Leads external communications for units within the traditional university campus. Koplon and her team proactively reach out to the media to secure media hits telling the story of happenings on campus ranging from the arts to student stories, graduate and undergraduate research and beyond. The team works reactively to ensure appropriate experts are connected with media within their deadline.
Job Titles:
- Public Relations Specialist
Sixto Leal, M.D., Ph.D., will enhance the scientific vision for UAB's Southeastern Biosafety Laboratory Alabama Birmingham as it takes a leading role in COVID research and a new world of pandemic preparedness. Leal also will work to attract new investigators to the state-of-the-art facility.
Smita Bhatia, M.D., has affected the lives of childhood cancer patients around the world, as well as many young researchers interested in following her path in survivorship and outcomes research, earning her selection for the academic medical center's highest faculty honor.
We know these details mainly through the field work and genetic sleuthing of UAB's globe-trotting seaweed expert Stacy Krueger-Hadfield, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biology. As a post-doc and here at UAB, Krueger-Hadfield has tracked Gracilaria from Japan to the United States and Europe - mostly on the water, but sometimes collecting samples from museum archives. Along the way, she has documented how these successful invasions have "torn up the life cycle" of Gracilaria - and created an unparalleled opportunity.
Job Titles:
- UAB Benefits Staff Member
- Benefits Counselor
Job Titles:
- Early Childhood & Elementary Education Advisor
Job Titles:
- Metadata Librarian for Continuing Resources / Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Director, Office of Student Services
Job Titles:
- Associate Athletics Director for Communication
Job Titles:
- University Archivist / Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Vice President for Advancement, Wil
Tom Brannan, vice president for Advancement, will take on additional responsibility to support the Office of the President and university priorities arising from the core missions of the institution.
Job Titles:
- Department: User Access
- Physical Processing Assistant
Job Titles:
- Public Relations Specialist