The Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion hosted the annual Women in Medicine and Science Promotion Reception April 11, which recognized women faculty promoted at the end of 2023. The honorees and their guests were greeted by Heersink leadership to celebrate their remarkable achievements.
Herb Chen, M.D., chair of the Department of Surgery and senior associate dean for Academic Affairs, commended the distinguished honorees for their hard work and dedication. He noted that the 49 honorees—15 of whom were promoted to the rank of professor and 34 to associate professor—had made invaluable contributions to medicine, academia, and research.
Mona Fouad, M.D., MPH, associate vice president for UAB Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and senior associate dean for Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion, made remarks as well, in which she set the scene for this occasion, mentioning her admiration for each of the women honorees.
Congratulations to the women faculty who were promoted to associate professor or professor in 2023.
The women promoted to associate professor in 2023 include:
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Maria Acosta Lara, M.D., Medicine - Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, associate professor
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Elizabeth Alva, M.D., Pediatrics, associate professor
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Puneet Aulakh, M.D., Medicine - Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, associate professor
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Ekaterina Bakradze, M.D., Neurology, associate professor
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Christina Bemrich-Stolz, M.D., Pediatrics, associate professor
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J. Nicole Bentley, M.D., Neurosurgery, associate professor and award of tenure
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Christine Campbell, M.D., Pediatrics, associate professor
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Christina Cochran, M.D., Pediatrics, associate professor
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Rachel Cowan, Ph.D., Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, associate professor
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Marissa Dean, M.D., Neurology, associate professor and award of tenure
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Virginia Duncan, M.D., Pathology, associate professor
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Blessing Falola, M.D., Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, associate professor
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Tyler Gaston, M.D., Neurology, associate professor
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Cristin Gavin, Ph.D., Neurobiology, associate professor and award of tenure
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Jessica Grayson, M.D., Otolaryngology, associate professor
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Chao-Hui Huang, Ph.D., Medicine - Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, associate professor
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Cynthia Joiner, Ph.D., Medicine - Cardiovascular Disease, associate professor
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Lauren Kole, M.D., Dermatology, associate professor
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Rachael Lancaster, M.D., Surgery, associate professor
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Diana Lin, M.D., Pathology, associate professor
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Claretha Lyas, M.D., Medicine - Nephrology, associate professor
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Melissa Mannion, M.D., Pediatrics, associate professor
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Tanecia Mitchell, Ph.D., Urology, associate professor
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Mariko Nakano, Ph.D., Medical Education, associate professor
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Swetha Pinninti, M.D., Pediatrics, associate professor
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Emily Schlitz-Fortenberry, M.D., Neurology, associate professor
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Jessica Scoffield, Ph.D., Microbiology, associate professor and award of tenure
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Rachel Sinkey, M.D., Obstetrics and Gynecology, associate professor
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Soumya Sivaraman, M.D., Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, associate professor
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Cassandra Smola, M.D., Pediatrics, associate professor
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Carlie Somerville, M.D., Medicine - General Internal Medicine, associate professor
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Emily Spangler, M.D., Surgery, associate professor and award of tenure
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Rebekah Weil, M.D., Medicine - General Internal Medicine, associate professor
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Audra Williams, M.D., Obstetrics and Gynecology, associate professor
The women promoted to professor in 2023 include:
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Jamie Cannon, M.D., Surgery, professor
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Jessy Deshane, Ph.D., Medicine - Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, professor
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Alecia Gross , Ph.D., Neurobiology, professor
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Caroline Harada, M.D., Medical Education, professor
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Julie Kanter, M.D., Medicine - Hematology/Oncology, professor and award of tenure
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Carrie Lenneman, M.D., Medicine - Cardiovascular Disease, professor
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Runhua Liu, Ph.D., Genetics, professor
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Tracy Luckhardt, M.D., Medicine - Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, professor
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Shikha Mehta, M.D., Medicine - Nephrology, professor
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Christina Muzny, M.D., Medicine - Infectious Diseases, professor
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Hongwei Qin, Ph.D., Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, professor
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Aadia Rana, M.D., Medicine - Infectious Diseases, professor
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Erin Shaughnessy, M.D., Pediatrics, professor
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Deeann Wallis, Ph.D., Genetics, professor
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Tracey Wilson, M.D., Urology, professor
Each woman promoted to professor was recognized by her department chair or other leadership in her area. Fouad presented each new professor with a glass art award to mark reaching this professional milestone.
To celebrate associate professor promotions, Fouad read aloud the list of honorees as each individual stood to be recognized. They each received a personalized small glass box from Heersink Office for Diversity and Inclusion to celebrate the promotion.
Closing remarks were given by Fouad, who thanked everyone for their attendance and encouraged them to enjoy the reception and fellowship.
Events like this are essential to the Heersink School of Medicine as they celebrate women's achievements in medicine and science and showcase positive impact of our women faculty.