Twelve faculty have been selected to receive the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, which honors UAB faculty who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in teaching.
The 2026 honorees represent each school, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Honors College, and the Graduate School.
Cindy Cain
Honors College
Cindy Cain, Ph.D., is an associate professor and director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Sociology. She has developed several courses for Honors College students, including Honors Introduction to Sociology and a “widely admired” seminar titled Death and Dying, according to a nominator. During the 2025-2026 academic year, Cain was an Honors Faculty Fellow, “where she inspired students through the connection of art to the social world,” the nominator wrote.
“Students routinely describe her classes as formative experiences that shape their academic identities, career aspirations and personal growth,” the nominator said, adding that many students say Cain is “the faculty member who changed the trajectory of their education at UAB.”
“She is the most effective professor I have encountered at tailoring her guidance to individual students,” a UAB alumnus wrote. “In the current landscape of higher education, Dr. Cain’s way of teaching and mentorship is not just the best practice — it is the needed practice …. The value of simply ‘knowing information’ is rapidly decreasing, and students must learn to think critically about their knowledge and how to apply it meaningfully. Dr. Cain’s teaching and mentorship foster these abilities.”
“One of Dr. Cain’s most outstanding qualities as an instructor is her attention to the circumstances that students face at UAB,” a faculty nominator wrote.
“In all her courses, she builds in opportunities for feedback about how classes are progressing by implementing anonymous surveys prior to the official evaluation period,” another faculty nominator wrote. “The findings are presented to the class, and they jointly work out how to proceed for the remainder of the semester.”
Shandra Coble
School of Dentistry
Shandra Coble, DMD, is an associate professor, director of the Predoctoral Endodontic Program and clinical director in the Department of Endodontics. She earned her undergraduate degree and DMD from UAB and completed an endodontics residency here. She was in private practice for more than 20 years before joining the School of Dentistry faculty in 2019.
“She has become one of the most effective and popular educators among students, residents, staff and faculty in the School of Dentistry,” wrote one nominator. Students “comment on her organization, effective communication, fairness and willingness to go out of her way to help. She has also been an inspiring mentor to junior faculty in our department and does not cease going out of her way to help them and advocate for them.”
“In addition to her clinical expertise, Dr. Coble exemplifies integrity, humility and genuine care for others,” her current residents wrote in a joint letter. “She creates a positive learning environment and consistently encourages those around her to grow professionally and personally. Her influence extends far beyond the clinic, and many of us would not be where we are today without her mentorship and support.”
Coble serves “not only as an educator, but also as a trusted mentor, advisor and source of emotional support during the demanding years of dental school,” a faculty nominator wrote.
“She has taken a specialty that I was intimidated and confused by and made it simple, easy to understand and kind of fun,” a fourth-year DMD student wrote. “She is an inspiration to students in becoming a competent clinician as well as prompting the development of compassion, integrity and ethical decision-making in healthcare.”
Lizzy Davis
School of Health Professions
Elizabeth “Lizzy” Davis, Ph.D., is an assistant professor and director of the Dietitian Education Program in the Department of Nutrition Sciences.
She “demonstrates exceptional mastery of nutrition science and a consistent ability to translate complex scientific and clinical concepts into clear, engaging and applicable learning experiences,” a nominator wrote. “Evaluation data across multiple years show consistently high ratings and, more importantly, strong student gains in applying knowledge, professional reasoning and readiness for practice.”
“Students do not simply enjoy her courses; they describe becoming more capable learners and professionals because of them,” a colleague added.
Davis is “known for her effective use of innovative teaching methods that promote active learning, critical thinking and professional readiness,” the nominator continued. “One notable case study, grounded in maternal health, requires students to diagnose nutrition-related challenges and propose evidence-based interventions, fostering both clinical reasoning and empathy. Student feedback highlights these assignments as intellectually engaging, relevant and instrumental in deepening understanding.”
“Beyond her own courses, Dr. Davis has had a transformative influence on the department’s teaching culture,” another nominator wrote. “Several faculty members now independently teach courses they initially developed under her mentorship, strengthening instructional capacity across the department. This investment in others’ teaching success is a hallmark of outstanding educators and has had a lasting impact on our academic programs.”
“I have observed firsthand how intentionally Dr. Davis thinks about teaching beyond individual courses,” a colleague wrote. “She consistently prioritizes curricular coherence, scaffolding of competencies, and the student experience as learners move between programs and instructional contexts.”
Mohammad Firouz
Collat School of Business
Mohammad Firouz, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Management, Information Systems and Quantitative Methods. “Dr. Firouz exemplifies excellence in management education through his deep subject-matter expertise, student-centered approach, innovative pedagogy, and commitment to preparing students for ethical and effective managerial and leadership roles in an increasingly complex and technology-driven business environment,” a colleague wrote.
“These are not easy subjects for business students, who often enter these courses with limited quantitative preparation or an aversion to quantitative courses,” another colleague wrote. “Yet Dr. Firouz has earned a reputation for making complex analytical material not only understandable but genuinely engaging. By emphasizing hands-on learning with relatable examples and a lean course structure that eliminates redundant work, he ensures that every hour a student spends on his course is directed toward career-relevant mastery.”
“In our course project, we built analytical models by defining decision variables, specifying constraints and turning real-world problems into algebraic functions,” a student wrote. “I never thought in a million years that I would be capable of doing what he has pushed us to do. And I really appreciate that we don’t just do assignments for the sake of doing them; we explain our choices and reasoning. His step-by-step guidance and increasingly challenging tasks have truly built critical thinking and transferable skills.”
“A hallmark of Dr. Firouz’s teaching is his meaningful integration of technology,” a faculty nominator wrote. “His innovative use of simulations, analytics tools and AI-supported learning activities helps students visualize complex concepts, solve real-world problems and develop skills directly applicable to their future managerial roles.”
Adam Gordon
School of Optometry
Adam Gordon, O.D., is a professor and chair of the Department of Optometry and Vision Science. Gordon is “a foundational figure — both to this school and to the countless students whose careers he has shaped,” a faculty colleague wrote. He teaches courses “that establish the scientific and clinical framework upon which everything else in the professional curriculum is built …. [This] requires not only deep expertise but an ability to make complex and abstract concepts accessible to students who are just beginning their journey into the profession.”
Throughout Gordon’s career at UAB, “he has taught students at every stage of the curriculum,” from optics and contact lenses to public health, another nominator wrote. “Few faculty members have contributed to as many areas. He is clear about his expectations, explains concepts in a way that is easy to understand and always takes the time to support students when they need help. Many students consider him one of their favorite instructors, not because his courses are easy, but because he makes the material engaging and relevant to clinical practice.”
“As department chair, Dr. Gordon has also shaped this institution in ways that go far beyond any individual course or clinic,” a faculty member wrote. He is “the kind of chair who takes an active interest in the professional development of the people around him, and who ensures that the school’s mission and values are reflected in everything we do …. Many of the opportunities I have had to grow as an educator came directly because Dr. Gordon took the time to make me aware of them and to encourage me to pursue them.”
Grace Komol
School of Education and Human Sciences
Grace Jepkemboi Komol, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. “A hallmark of her teaching is the design of transformational learning experiences that challenge students to think critically, reflect deeply and connect academic content to real-world contexts,” a nominator wrote. “She is fair, open-minded and genuinely accessible, both inside and outside the classroom. She believes in her students with a conviction that is palpable, maintaining high expectations precisely because she sees capacity in them that they may not yet see in themselves.”
“Her students do not simply learn content in her courses,” the nominator said. “They learn what it means to show up with integrity, to center the needs of children, and to carry a commitment to lifelong learning and professional development into every space they enter.”
Komol also is recognized for her dedication to mentoring doctoral students; she has served as chair, co-chair or committee member on 37 doctoral committees in the Early Childhood Education Ph.D. program in her 16 years as a faculty member. “She provides sustained, high-impact support through weekly advising and structured writing groups, skillfully translating complex theoretical concepts into accessible, rigorous learning experiences,” a colleague wrote. “Notably, she co-led the development of the PhD Writing Retreat (2025-2026), which is an initiative designed to support doctoral candidates in the final stages of dissertation completion. This continuous effort reflects both her leadership and commitment to student persistence and success.”
“Her mentorship is particularly transformative for first-generation, African American and international doctoral students, many of whom face systemic and personal challenges in navigating doctoral education,” the colleague noted.
Peng Li
School of Nursing
Peng Li, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Acute, Chronic and Continuing Care Nursing. “Since joining our faculty in 2018, Dr. Li has transformed quantitative education in our Ph.D. program and is now central to statistical training for nursing scholars,” a nominator wrote. Li’s success is reflected in “outstanding student evaluations” and “in measurable outcomes: for six consecutive years, nearly all students passed the quantitative section of the Ph.D. qualifying exam.”
Li is known for taking an innovative approach to courses. In his NRM781 Quantitative Measurement course, he developed “computer programs to simulate survey respondents, enabling students to practice psychometric instrument development without the logistical burden of real data collection,” a nominator wrote. “This approach has made the course both effective and popular across UAB schools.”
“Dr. Li is truly beloved by the students fortunate enough to have been taught by him,” a former student wrote. “To this day, we hold Dr. Li in the highest regard for the knowledge he shared with us and true affection for his character.”
“His mentorship has directly enabled student research success,” another nominator wrote. “He has co-authored more than 31 peer-reviewed publications with students and trainees and has played a key role in securing four extramural student awards — an NIH/NIA R36 Dissertation Award, a NORC T32 scholarship, and two Geneva Foundation scholarships.”
“Now that I am an assistant professor, Dr. Li is one of my exemplars guiding my own efforts to be a supportive teacher to the students in my department,” another former student wrote.
Braden McFarland
Joint Health Sciences
Braden McFarland, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology. She also is co-director of the UAB Undergraduate Cancer Biology Program, the only program of its kind in the United States. Since its launch in 2020, the program has expanded to more than 200 students, “with continued increases in demand and enrollment, reflecting both the strength of the curriculum and [McFarland’s] reputation as an outstanding educator,” a nominator wrote.
“She is dedicated to forming the next generation of cancer researchers and medical professionals,” a colleague wrote. “The number of electives that she has developed and continues to develop ensures that individual interests can also be fostered. She has also developed online courses to increase the number and flexibility of offerings available to students; she is now exploring the potential of future expansion into a full online cancer biology degree.”
“Coming into college, I hoped to prepare for a career of treating cancer,” a student wrote. “After four years, I am prepared for a career of helping people. Cancer is an inherently difficult subject, and questions are inevitable. Dr. McFarland consistently took time to engage with student questions in ways that connected those dots rather than simply answering them.”
“Beyond Dr. McFarland’s knowledge of the field, she is also one of the most approachable and kind educators I have had,” the student added. “Before a class even starts, Dr. McFarland is talking to students and asking them genuine questions about themselves, details that she remembers. Once the class begins, Dr. McFarland does not become distant but remains a warm and engaged presence throughout.”
Emmanuel Odame
School of Public Health
Emmanuel Odame, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences.
“His teaching philosophy centers on engaging students in activities that stimulate curiosity and urge them to ‘dive deeper’ into the subject,” a nominator wrote. “He has intentionally designed his courses to help students develop critical thinking skills through peer discussions, debates, case study analyses, and the creation of evidence-based public health communication materials such as infographics, public service announcements and fact sheets.”
“Emmanuel is very dedicated and passionate about teaching public health and environmental health courses,” another colleague wrote. “He invests a lot of time into preparing for his classes and demonstrates his enthusiasm for students to impart his own passion for public health. Teaching environmental health sciences to students from diverse backgrounds can be quite challenging, but he makes it engaging and exciting for his students.”
Odame also “mentors and works closely with his students who are interested in pursuing further education and/or career development opportunities,” the colleague added. “He trains and works with his teaching assistants, who are mostly his former students, and collaborates with students on writing abstracts and posters for presentations at local and national conferences.”
“What distinguishes his record, in my view, is the synthesis of teaching, mentorship and research activities,” another nominator wrote. “He does not treat these as separate domains but instead uses them together to create training and professional development opportunities for students.”
Vinoy Thomas
School of Engineering
Vinoy Thomas, Ph.D., is an associate professor and graduate program director in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. “His course reviews were among the very best seen” by his nominating committee, they noted, “despite the degree of difficulty associated with his undergraduate/graduate courses.”
“He has developed new and highly enrolled graduate courses — such as Thermal Characterization and Plasma Processing of Materials — and transformed lab-intensive courses into immersive, applied learning experiences,” another nominator wrote.
Thomas “has directly supervised over 70 undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom have received competitive fellowships (NASA, NSF-EPSCoR) and departmental awards,” the nominator wrote. “His students frequently secure successful placements in Alabama-based industries, a testament to the practical, career-ready training he provides.”
“Topics are always deconstructed in a way that makes them relatable and understandable,” a student wrote. “I’ll never cook spaghetti again without thinking of polymer chains and transition temperatures or see grapes without recalling their ability to generate plasma in a microwave through concentrated electromagnetic fields.”
“If you were to ask him how long he’s known me, he might say three or four years, since I started UAB in the fall of 2022,” another student wrote. “However, our paths crossed in the summer of 2019 when I had just finished my sophomore year in high school. That summer, I attended the UAB Materials Engineering Summer Camp and had the opportunity to hear him speak and visit his lab. He is one of the reasons I felt like UAB was where I belonged. He is one of the reasons I chose engineering as my major. He is one of the reasons I wanted to become a materials engineer and educator.”
Jeremey Walker
Heersink School of Medicine
Jeremey Walker, M.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases. “His teaching efforts span the breadth of undergraduate to graduate, to postgraduate medical education,” and he has received numerous school and department teaching awards from students and colleagues, a nominator wrote.
“Dr. Walker also has a regional and national presence as an educator,” the nominator added. He organizes the Southeastern Transplant ID conference quarterly meeting, and he has been honored by the Infectious Diseases Society of America for his role in creating and organizing the ID Fellows Cup, an online tournament that engages more than 800 participants annually from close to 100 institutions.
“Dr. Walker has established a strong teaching presence in the School of Medicine, teaching as module director for microbiology, lead mentor for the Learning Community, Internal Medicine Clerkship Director, and service on multiple committees, including admissions, intern selection and student academic standing,” a colleague wrote. “Within each of these areas, Dr. Walker is able not only to teach difficult concepts but also to guide students in their professional development throughout their journey to becoming a doctor.”
Colleagues emphasized “the effort he puts into being present and showing up for students.” This includes “biking across town to quickly transition from an awards ceremony with one class of students to precepting another class of students at the EAB student-run free clinic, engaging in meaningful conversations with a willingness to share his own vulnerabilities, and finding all the small ways to make sure his students know he cares about them.”
Brynn Welch
College of Arts and Sciences
Brynn Welch, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Philosophy. She consistently receives stellar rankings in post-course surveys, averaging five out of five in the “Excellent Teacher” category across dozens of in-person courses during an eight-year period, a nominator said.
“Dr. Welch is truly the most phenomenal professor I’ve ever had,” one student wrote. Another said: “To be frank, prior to this class, I did not value a four-year undergraduate degree. However, after taking this class, I can confidently say that I’m glad to have gone to college and, most importantly, UAB.”
Welch received the national David W. Concepcion Prize for Excellence in Teaching Philosophy in 2024. And she is determined to help philosophy teachers everywhere “find ways to improve their teaching,” another colleague wrote. She has edited two collections on teaching philosophy, including “Innovations in Teaching Philosophy: A Toolkit for the 21st Century Classroom,” published in December 2025.
“Every day had a variety of ideas and viewpoints, and each viewpoint was scrutinized intensely,” a student wrote. “There is almost no better way to develop critical thinking skills than to have our ideas picked apart like that.”
Welch teaches multiple sessions of her “Professor’s Perspective” at summer orientations “to help new UAB students have the best chance of success as they begin their journey as Blazers,” a nominator wrote. She also teaches a weekly philosophy class for high school students at Wonderstead School. And in summer 2026, Welch created a summer day camp “to bring middle and high school students to UAB to learn philosophy,” the nominator said.
“The magic that happens in her classrooms overflows into all of our hallways, classrooms and offices,” a colleague wrote. “It sends us engaged, well-trained, passionate students who are a joy to teach, and who found their love of philosophy through Dr. Welch’s truly singular approach to college education.”