Four faculty appointed to endowed positions

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Four faculty were appointed to an endowed chair or professorship during the April meeting of the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees.

ChenProfessor Herbert Chen, M.D., chair of the Department of Surgery, was named the fifth holder of the Fay Fletcher Kerner Chair of Surgery in the School of Medicine. Chen, who joined UAB as chair of surgery in October 2015, is a member of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, American Board of Surgery, American College of Surgeons, American Society of Clinical Investigation Association for Academic Surgery and the International Association of Endocrine Surgeons. Chen has written 354 journal articles and 12 book chapters, contributing significantly to the scientific literature in multiple areas, including endocrinology and oncology.

In addition, three faculty were appointed to endowed professorships.

wesselmannProfessor Ursula Isolde Wesselmann, M.D., was named the second holder of the William A. Lell, M.D., Paul N. Samuelson, M.D., Endowed Professorship in Anesthesiology in the School of Medicine. Wesselmann, who joined UAB in 2008, is internationally recognized as an outstanding clinician-scientist in gynecological and urological chronic pain treatment. She has served on the editorial boards of numerous journals and as a committee member and/or external adviser for national and international institutions, including the NIH, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

GeursProfessor Nicolaas Geurs, DDS, chair of the Department of Periodontology, was named the inaugural holder of the Dr. Tommy Weatherford/Dr. Kent Palcanis Endowed Professorship in Dentistry. Geurs, who joined UAB in 1995, is internationally known for his research in periodontology and dental implantology and has contributed to more than 130 publications and abstracts in professional journals. Geurs serves on the American Academy of Periodontology Education Committee, consults for the Commission on Dental Accreditation for Periodontology and is a fellow in the American Dental Education Association Leadership Institute and American College of Dentists.

YatesStephanie Yates, Ph.D., associate professor of finance, is the inaugural holder of the Regions Institute for Financial Education Endowed Professorship in the Collat School of Business. Yates, who came to UAB in 2007 and was named director of the institute in 2015, is a member of numerous professional organizations and advisory boards, including the American Real Estate Society, Financial Management Association, Financial Education Outreach, TruFund Financial Services and Alabama Saves. She was recently awarded the 2016 UAB President’s Award for Diversity, presented annually for achievements toward a more inclusive, diverse and competent university community.

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