Latest News and Updates from the University of Alabama at Birmingham

Theatre UAB presents student-led production “The Way You Made Me,” April 10-11

“The Way You Made Me” is a story of the connections between our family, our lovers and ourselves. Student Bailey Dumlao directs the play, which will be available for viewing on Vimeo.

Huang graduates with two degrees while tracing COVID-19 with ADPH

Tyler Huang graduates from UAB with a Bachelor of Science degree in neuroscience and a Master of Science degree in multidisciplinary biomedical sciences with a concentration in neuroscience. He is part of one of the first cohorts finishing an Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s.

UAB students selected for state innovation project, partnership with Stanford University

Eight UAB students have been selected as fellows in Stanford’s Hoover Institution and will participate in projects aimed at advancing specific state initiatives.

Two UAB researchers receive nearly $1.3 million in grant funding

With the funding, Da Yan, Ph.D., will study how newly emerging services are changing the way Alabamians travel every day, and Paul Baker, Ph.D., will work toward the development of an artificial vascular graft.

Discussion of mental health for women in the Black community is April 7

The third seminar in the UAB African American Studies Program’s Black mental health series will feature Joy Harden-Bradford, founder of the “Therapy for Black Girls” podcast.

UAB to host political science professor April 7 for a discussion on disciplinary respectability

Tamar Malloy, Ph.D., will demonstrate how rights and protections are undermined by the requirements that people become “respectable” in order to be considered good, moral and worthy of protection.

Two UAB students selected for prestigious Goldwater Scholarship

Rose Albert and Karthik Reddy, both members of UAB’s Honors College and studying in the College of Arts and Sciences, were selected for the competitive award in math and science.

UAB student’s research selected for presentation on Capitol Hill

A College of Arts and Sciences student selected for the prestigious Posters on the Hill event will have her research showcased to lawmakers in Washington, D.C.

UAB history journal for student scholarship wins a national award

The annual Vulcan Historical Review was honored in the 2020 Gerald D. Nash History Graduate Online Journal Competition.

UAB graduates selected for National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships

Courtney Severino, Jasmin Revanna and Retta El Sayed will receive up to three years of support for graduate education, including a $34,000 annual stipend plus $12,000 per year toward the cost of graduate work.

Works by musicians with UAB ties featured in Birmingham Art Music Alliance project

The double CD “Alabama String Quartets” features original music by composers living in Alabama — including Matthew Scott Phillips, Brian Moon, Chris Steele and Monroe Golden — performed by Amernet String Quartet.

Sociology professors and students partner with Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service

When Battalion Chief Tobias Jones was collecting information for a Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) strategic planning project, he thought of the UAB Department of Sociology.

Jones had once taken the department’s research methodology course when he was a UAB student and knew the Department of Sociology would have the resources to conduct a study that would cost the BFRS thousands of dollars if they hired a commercial firm. So, working with Birmingham Fire Chief Cory D. Moon, they contacted Verna Keith, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Sociology. It was precisely the type of community engagement service the department seeks to provide.

“I saw Chief Moon’s request as an excellent opportunity to contribute to the community and to expose our students to a collaborative and impactful research experience. That he reached out to the department for this project speaks highly of our faculty and their excellent instruction,” said Dr. Keith.

Cullen Clark, Ph.D.Soon after, students and professors from two courses had signed on to conduct two studies. Under the supervision of Elizabeth Baker, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Sociology, students in her Research Experience course developed a quantitative survey designed to measure community knowledge and perceptions of BFRS. Additionally, a team of capstone students from the department’s online Master of Arts in Applied Sociology program worked with Cullen Clark, Ph.D., teaching assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, to conduct a series of online focus groups with members of selected neighborhood associations to gather their perceptions and knowledge of BFRS.

With key support from Chief Moon, Battalion Chief Kenneth Mines, Lieutenant Brian Pernell, Firefighter Jeffrey Hall, the Strategic Plan Committee, and Battalion Chief Jones, the project was an opportunity for students to take the skills they learned in the classroom and put them to work.

“This project allowed the students to participate firsthand in the research process and provided them with an opportunity to show potential employers the diverse skill set that a degree in sociology can afford,” said Dr. Baker. “At the end of the class, they had produced a report from data derived from a survey they designed, disseminated, and analyzed.”

Elizabeth Baker, Ph.D.It was a great opportunity for the graduate students as well, recalled Dr. Clark. “We always tell students in our online M.A. program that every sociologist works with a toolkit that consists of social theory, research methodology, and what sociologists call the ‘sociological imagination,’ or the ability to see how broader social and historical forces shape individual lives,” said Dr. Clark. “Projects like this one enable our students to see firsthand just how versatile these tools are and that they can be used to provide insight and information for any organization,” said Dr. Clark.

Together, the quantitative and qualitative studies provided a greater depth of insight than either could have provided alone. One finding that clearly stood out in both studies was the high esteem in which respondents held BFRS.

“I don’t think I have ever done focus groups where no one has anything negative to say,” said Dr. Clark.

Another interesting finding was the extent to which respondents said they had used BFRS emergency medical services at some point. Forty-one percent of the respondents to the quantitative online survey indicated they had used these services. This finding was reiterated by moving personal accounts of focus group members’ interactions with emergency medical services.

The UAB Department of Sociology is happy to conduct projects like this as resources permit. Community, charitable and civic groups who would like this type of assistance should contact Dr. Verna Keith at vmkeith@uab.edu.

I Am Arts and Sciences: Vincent Cirel

Vincent Cirel developed a passion for mathematics in high school and found personal inspiration even earlier in life working with his grandfather as a land surveyor. When it was time to pursue his undergraduate degree, he looked to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

While growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, Vincent Cirel developed a passion for mathematics in high school and found personal inspiration even earlier in life working with his grandfather as a land surveyor. When it was time to pursue his undergraduate degree, he looked to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

"I always thought I'd do my undergraduate work at UAB," said Cirel. "It was a part of my hometown."

During his tenure at UAB, Cirel pursued a major in mathematics and a minor in physics. His talents and interests aligned with the emergence of the Word Wide Web, and, as a result, he applied his valuable knowledge in real-time at UAB's Health Sciences Learning Technologies Lab.

He became the co-founder and co-chair of the UAB Web Advisory Group, and he navigated the evolution of the web at UAB for seven years. This experience reflects a primary theme in Cirel's life and career—leveraging emerging technologies during pivotal moments within institutions and businesses.

"I was passionate about science and technology, and I blended it with the business world," said Cirel.

Cirel continued to build his knowledge and expertise, earning a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from UAB and a Master of Business Administration from Vanderbilt University. By combining his cross-curricular academic interests in mathematics, applied sciences, and business, Cirel successfully co-led Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings through a defining moment in 2013.

"Norwegian went public in 2013," said Cirel. "It transformed the cruise line industry."

As Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Cirel spearheaded the expansion of mobile/social to include full customer lifecycle integration and got to stand at the podium when the company was added to the NASDAQ. It was a defining point in his career.

Throughout his numerous professional milestones, Cirel admits that he never steered far from his early foundations in mathematics and physics. "That foundation is something I rely on and apply everyday," said Cirel.

Today, Cirel is the executive vice president of Worldstrides, Inc. (in addition to many independent consulting engagements) and, through these roles, he finds ways to leverage emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and quantum computing. As he continues to blaze ahead, he sees his alma mater as a source of continued pride and inspiration.

"It's interesting to watch how UAB has grown in size and impact. It's what you always hope will happen," said Cirel.

As Cirel's career moves forward, he continues to watch the transformation of the business world, noting that fewer people are focused solely on financial wealth. He sees workplaces emphasizing and elevating personal growth and diversity, equity, and inclusion, which he believes is important and necessary.

He encourages future UAB graduates to think about both their personal and professional goals as they look ahead. "The most important early-career question to ask is, 'Where does my passion lie?' And do your very best to align your efforts to that answer," said Cirel.

UAB to host philosopher Myisha Cherry on March 31

Professor, author and podcaster Myisha Cherry, Ph.D., will discuss why some conversations are hard to have and what you can do about it, part of UAB’s Jemison Visiting Professorship on March 31.

Social Justice Café examines rise of anti-Asian hate amid the pandemic March 31

Social Justice Café will host a virtual conversation March 31 to discuss the rise of violence and discrimination against Asian Americans during the pandemic.

Art-inspired spoken word and poetry event March 30

UAB Department of English students will virtually perform poetry and spoken word inspired by artworks on display at the Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts.

UAB’s 2021 Brain Awareness Week has been reinvented

UAB’s Brain Awareness Week will take place virtually March 22-26 and feature interactive scientific lectures for younger and older viewers.

Gaspar awarded an internship from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute

UAB undergraduate student earns an internship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute for its 2021 summer intern program.

Panion named to Bob Moog Foundation Board of Directors

The foundation welcomed Henry Panion III, Ph.D., “prolific producer, composer, arranger, conductor, orchestrator, and lauded professor of music technology and music theory” to its board in an announcement March 15.

UAB to host in-person commencement at Legion Field on April 30, May 1

All 2020 graduates and spring 2021 graduates are invited to participate. Masks will be required, and there is no limit on guests; but everyone will need to be socially distanced. Parking will be free.

$78.5 million basic sciences complex approved for construction at UAB

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