Students/Faculty

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Occupational Therapy's OT 673 and OT 674 classes consider Assistive Technology. When many people think of AT, they picture amazing advances like prosthetic limbs, optical character recognition (OCR) software or speech generating devices.

So when co-instructors Deek Cunningham, MS, OTR/L, and Gavin Jenkins, Ph.D., OTR/L, both assistant professors in the OT department, asked the class to build chairs – using only cardboard, paper, flour and water – as assistive devices. You can imagine what went through the students’ heads.

Jones Hiett Shmerling webL/R Dean Jones, Tee Hiett, Debbie and Jim ShmerlingThe University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Health Professions dedicated the Debbie and Jim Shmerling Endowed Scholarship in Honor of Tee Hiett at a special ceremony on Friday, Sept. 20, 2013. The Shmerling’s $25,000 gift created the permanent endowment scholarship which will assist deserving students entering or enrolled in the Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA) Program with preference shown to applicants formally enrolled in the MSHA/MSHI (Master of Science in Health Informatics) dual degree option.

AOM Weech-Maldonado OConnor FottlerStephen J. O’Connor, Ph.D., a professor in the UAB School of Health Professions Department of Health Services Administration (HSA), was awarded the Myron D. Fottler Exceptional Service Award by the Health Care Management (HCM) Division of the Academy of Management (AOM). This award, considered by many to be the most distinguished award given by the HCM Division, is not an annual award and is given only when a suitable nominee is presented. O’Connor was nominated by HSA colleague Robert Weech-Maldonado, Ph.D.

Lauren Ashley Mandy OwenThe assignment was simple. Okay, maybe not simple, but definitely basic. Students in the UAB School of Health Profession’s Department of Occupational Therapy class OT 673 were asked to make an assistive device that would help people with an injury or disability.