The UAB SOM Faculty Associations play a critical role in the support of our diverse faculty. From recruitment and mentoring to development and advocacy, these groups help create, maintain, and foster the culture we strive for at UAB.
Co-led by Herb Chen, M.D., FACS (left), and Warner Huh M.D., FACOG, FACS (right), the Asian American and Pacific Islander Faculty Association was created to achieve these goals.
AAPI Faculty Association Committees
The association consists of six committees that hold regular meetings to discuss communications and dissemination, social and networking, advocacy and community engagement, leadership training, pipeline programs, and membership. Each committee is made up of chairs/co-chairs and members and has distinct goals for how it will contribute to the mission and vision of the group. Click one of the committees below to learn more.
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Communications and Dissemination Committee
Committee Goals
Engage the medical community and the public at large on issues related to AAPI via storytelling, and to communicate and disseminate these stories using various social media platforms. We will highlight AAPI faculty stories, publish opinion pieces, develop short video blogs and podcasts to explore our history, current state, and new ideas for a more just and equitable society. We aim to serve as a resource for and about AAPI communities, primarily for our institution. We will interface with the School of Medicine and Health System communication channels.
Co-Chairs
Michele Kong
Department: Pediatrics
Email: mkong@uabmc.eduCarmen Tong
Department: Urology
Email: ctong@uab.eduCommittee Members
- Diptiman Chanda
- Manoj Tanwar
- Tariq Hamid
- Jianhua Zhang
- Shivani Malhotra
- Chander Raman
- Sukhshant Atti
- Panka Dangle
- Hari Kalagara
- Elizabeth Liptrap
- Amy Wang
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Social and Networking Committee
Committee Goals
The Social and Networking Committee, as a standing committee of the UAB AAPI, shall be responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing all social and networking activities. These will include gatherings, cultural celebrations, and other events for the benefit of the AAPI and UAB community.
Objectives
- To increase social connections through fun, informal, and memorable activities;
- To promote networking between AAPI members ;
- To build stronger relationships within and beyond the AAPI
Co-Chairs
Dan Chu
Department: Surgery
Email: dchu@uab.eduShuko Harada
Department: Pathology
Email: Sharada1@uab.eduCommittee Members
- Kejin Hu
- Rajasekaran Namakkal Soorappan
- Hubert Tse
- Suresh Verma
- Hind Lal
- Lufang Zhou
- Do Yeon Cho
- Rubindhiran Pillay
- Rajatava Basu
- Sameera Davuluri
- Pongkiat Kankirawatana
- Veeranjaneyulu Prattipati
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Advocacy and Community Engagement Committee
Committee Goals
Increase recognition of the culture and contributions of AAPI faculty within UAB and enhance relationships with existing AAPI organizations and/or communities. This will be done by connecting with and knowing our community, promoting (via online and social media) the AAPI community, news, and events, and engagement activities.
Co-Chairs
Anupama Yedla
Department: Psychiatry - Huntsville
Email: yedlaa@uab.eduYabing Chen
Department: Pathology
Email: ybchen@uab.eduCommittee Members
- Jeong Mi Park
- Takamitsu Saigusa
- Jianmei Leavenworth
- Qin Wang, Ji-Bin Peng
- Nabiha Yusuf
- Arnab Basu
- Champion Deivanayagam
- Pradeep Kotapurathu Kurup
- Bin Ren
- Hyunki Kim
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Leadership Training Committee
Committee Goals
This committee will focus on developing seminars, workshops, and lectures around promotion and leadership building for members. Additionally, through content creation, the group aims to expand the impact and value of the committee through strategic partnerships with internal and external societies.
Co-Chairs
Ambika Ashraf
Department: Pediatrics
Email: aashraf@uab.eduMaran Ramani
Department: Pediatrics
Email: maran@uab.eduCommittee Members
- Chao-Hui Sylvia Huang
- Lewis Zhichang Shi
- Jasvinder Singh
- George Yang
- Pallavi Iyer
- Rojymon Jacob
- Rongbing Xie
- Anupam Agarwal
- Harrison Kim
- Nipam Shah
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Pipeline Committee
Committee Goals
Reach out to local undergraduates, medical students, and trainees to establish mentorship sessions for prospective AAPI physicians and scientists.
Objectives:
- Key focus of the pipeline will be undergraduates first, medical students/grad students second, and residents third
- Goal is to provide sponsorship and not just mentorship
- Would like to set up speed mentoring sessions via Zoom with breakout rooms.
- One track would be for AAPI undergrads interested in a career in clinical medicine and another track would be for AAPI undergrads interested in a career in basic science
- Would also facilitate shadowing/research opportunities for AAPI undergrads with AAPI faculty
Co-Chairs
Victor Sung
Department: Neurology
Email: vsung@uab.eduJunJian Huang
Department: Radiology
Email: Jhuang87@uab.eduCommittee Members
- Anoma Nellore
- Ranu Surolia
- Janaki Nimmagadda
- Liyun Cao
- Nita Limdi
- Shilpa Register
- Pradeep Bhambhvani
- Qiang Ding
- Kondal Kyanam Kabir Baig
- Ashita Tolwani
- Caroline Harada
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Membership Committee
Committee Goals
Conduct a self-study on who we are, how we can recruit new members, and track our data to ensure we are making progress as an organization.
Co-Chairs
Subhashini Bolisetty
Department: Medicine
Email: subhashini@uab.eduSaurabh Aggarwal
Department: Anesthesiology
Email: saggar@uab.eduCommittee Members
- Romi Gupta
- Soumya Sivaraman
- Guangxiang Luo
- Srini Tridandapani
- Shi Wei
- Warner Huh
- Sushant Bhatnagar
- Adnan Haque
- Yung Lau
- Rakesh Varma

Co-Chair, Communications and Dissemination Committee

Member, Pipeline Committee

Co-Leader, AAPI FA

Co-Chair, Social and Networking Committee

Member, Leadership Training Committee

Member, Pipeline Committee
Upcoming Events
Join us at one of our upcoming training, development, or planning meetings. Click an event below to learn more or register.
Meeting Zoom Recordings
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New Ways of Thinking: Leadership Development for Leading Clinicians and Scientists
Speaker:
- Christy Harris Lemak, Ph.D., FACHE
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Cultural Intelligence for Leaders
Speaker:
- Leandra Y. Celaya, MSc
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How to Make Your Elevator Pitch
Speaker:
- Christy Harris Lemak, Ph.D., FACHE