Thomas DeCarlo, PhD, has been selected to receive the UAB President's Award for Excellence in Teaching for his exceptional accomplishments in teaching. He will be honored at a university ceremony this fall.
DeCarlo, the Ben S. Weil Chair of Industrial Distribution, joined UAB in 2006 from Iowa State University where he oversaw the university's Business Analysis Lab. At UAB, he teaches distribution management, distribution policy and creativity in distribution. He also has been the faculty mentor for numerous undergraduate honors research projects at UAB and taught in executive MBA programs in China (Beijing, Chongqing), Iowa State University, and the University of Georgia.
"DeCarlo truly cares about the student experience," Mike Wittman, PhD, chair of the Department of Marketing, Industrial Distribution and Economics, wrote in his nomination of DeCarlo. "He crafts his class in a way that brings the subject matter to life and puts it in a context that the students will experience in their careers."
DeCarlo is a renowned researcher, publishing frequently in top-quality journals and sharing the latest cutting-edge information with his students.
"His success as a well-respected member of the research community translates well to his teaching," said Kristen Craig, academic advisor for the Industrial Distribution program, who supported DeCarlo's nomination. "His course material is reflective of current industry trends, and ID students graduate with an expansive understanding of industry expectations and trends."
DeCarlo regularly consults with industry partners to stay current on their needs so he knows how to best prepare his students. In recent years, DeCarlo identified a significant need for students to have and understanding of how to develop creative solutions for challenging problems in industrial distribution. He used feedback from employers to develop a new, unique class – Creativity in Distribution – which both students and employers love.
"DeCarlo challenges not only the students to understand and employ ingenuity as they stretch toward imagination and innovation, but he, too, models this very skillset each semester as he delivers this course with the same openness and willingness to learn and grow that is required by the students," Craig said.
He also implemented a course to the major's medical distribution track in which students can observe live neurosurgical procedures with a UAB neurosurgeon so they can see firsthand how medical industry sales representatives interact with the nursing team and surgeon in the operating room.
Senior Tim Atchley, a retired US Navy Senior Chief, said DeCarlo is the best professor he has ever had.
"In each course with Dr. DeCarlo, he has come up with new and inventive ways to ensure student engagement and consistently prioritizes student interaction along with a safe and professional learning environment," he said. "As students make their way through a Dr. DeCarlo-led course, the takeaways far exceed the course material. I feel I am a better student and a better person due to his direct influence."
Student Bob Everett agreed. "Dr. DeCarlo has patience to help students with tough concepts but also challenges students to be better than they think they can be," he said.
DeCarlo earned his bachelor's degree in accounting and marketing from North Carolina State University and his doctorate in business administration from the University of Georgia.
He said his classroom approach involves "merging theory with practice by disseminating theoretical concepts while emphasizing relevant managerial applications.
"My view of a successful teacher, therefore, is one who not only brings accurate and up-to-date information to the classroom, but who can also inspire a student's lifelong interest in business that extends outside of the classroom," he said.