Teaching
President's Award for Excellence in Teaching
The purpose of this award is to recognize full-time faculty members who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in teaching.
Recipients of this award exemplify any or all of the following:
- Broad, thorough knowledge of the subject area and the ability to effectively convey difficult concepts to students
- Exemplary classroom instruction as evidenced by student and peer evaluations
- Fairness, open-mindedness, and accessibility to students in and out of the classroom setting
- An objective, analytical approach to information; clear portrayal of conceptual interrelationships and intellectually stimulating classroom presentations
- Promotion of ethical and professional values and behavior among students
- Ability to inspire and mentor students through research activities, special projects, and publication of their work.
- Ability to infuse students with a commitment to life-long learning and professional development
- Service and scholarly activities that provide excellent role models for students
Eligibility
Full-time regular faculty members that hold a primary appointment in the School of Public Health are eligible for this award. The individual must have held faculty status at UAB for a minimum of three years and may receive the award only once in any three-year period.
Sponsor
This award is given by the Office of the President. The Dean’s Office oversees recipient selection from the School of Public Health. Recipients will receive a cash award and a crystal apple with an engraved base in honor of their achievement.
Previous award recipients:
2023: Gregory Pavela, PhD
2022: Luz A Padilla, MD, MSPH
2021: Leann Long, PhD
2020: Robin Lanzi, MPH, PhD
2019: Erika Austin, MPH, PhD
2018: Stacey Cofield, PhD
2016: Dale Dickinson, PhD
2015: Paul Muntner, PhD
2014: Meredith Kilgore, PhD
2013: Emily Levitan, ScD
Early Career Teaching Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize an early career faculty or staff member who has demonstrated distinction in teaching and a commitment to student learning.
Recipients of this award exemplify the following:
- Commitment to quality instruction
- Creative combination of teaching strategies
- Generating enthusiasm in students
Eligibility
Full-time regular faculty or staff that hold a primary appointment as Assistant Professor or Instructor in the School of Public Health and are within the first six years of their faculty appointment are eligible for this award. Full-time regular staff who are Credentialed Course Instructors (CCI) and within their first six years as a CCI are also eligible for this award.
Sponsor
The Dean’s Office oversees recipient selection for this award. Recipients will receive a plaque in honor of their achievement.
Submit Nomination Opens an external link.
Previous award recipients:
2024: Kathryn Corvey, DrPH2023: Teneasha Washington, PhD
2022: Meredith Gartin, PhD
2021: Jessica Chambliss, PhD, MPH
2020: Shauntice Allen, MA, PhD
2019: Greg Pavela, PhD
Innovation in Teaching Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize faculty or staff members who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in teaching innovation.
Recipients of this award exemplify the following:
- Engaging students in interactive activities
- Using new or emerging technology or existing technology in a novel manner
- Employing creative assessment methods
- Introducing and incorporating forward-thinking curriculum ideas into the classroom
Eligibility
Full-time regular faculty or staff that hold a primary appointment in the School of Public Health are eligible for this award. Full-time regular staff who are Credentialed Course Instructors are also eligible for this award.
Sponsor
The Dean’s Office oversees recipient selection for this award. Recipients will receive a plaque in honor of their achievement.
Previous award recipients:
2024: Emmanuel Odame, PhD
2023: Kathryn Corvey, DrPH, MPH
2022: Tamika Smith, PhD
2021: Meredith Gartin, PhD
2020: Luz A. Padilla, MSPH, MD
2019: Lisa McCormick, MPH, DrPH
Research
Early Career Investigator Research Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize an early-stage faculty member who is emerging as an independent investigator.
Recipients of this award have demonstrated a high probability of becoming an independent investigator.
Eligibility
Full-time regular faculty members that hold a primary appointment in the School of Public Health. The individual must have less than eight years of research experience since their first faculty appointment and may receive the award only once. Nominations may be made by a faculty member at any university or college. Self-nominations are not allowed.
Sponsor
The School of Public Health’s Office of Research oversees recipient selection for this award. Recipients will receive a $500 award provided to the faculty member’s discretionary spending account and a plaque in honor of their achievement.
Submit Nomination: Early Career Investigator Research Opens an external link.
Previous award recipients:
2024: Katia Bruxvoort, PhD
2023: Shakia Hardy, PhD
2022: Matthew Fifolt, PhD
Independent Faculty Investigator
The purpose of this award is to recognize a faculty member who has made significant scientific contributions to public health research and has a national reputation that brings prestige to the School of Public Health.
Recipients will have demonstrated success with the following:
- Obtaining multiple extramural research awards as principal investigator
- Strong publication record, widely published and cited
- Research mentoring of students and early-career faculty members
Eligibility
Full-time regular faculty members that hold a primary faculty appointment in the School of Public Health. The individual will have eight to fifteen years of research experience since their first faculty appointment and may receive the award only once. Nominations for these awards may come from a faculty member at any university or college. Self-nominations are not allowed.
Sponsor
The School of Public Health’s Office of Research oversees recipient selection for this award. Recipients will receive a $500 award provided to the faculty member’s discretionary spending account and a plaque in honor of their achievement.
Submit Nomination: Independent Faculty Investigator Opens an external link.
Previous Award Recipients:
2024: Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, PhD
2023: Leann Long, PhD
2022: Jeff Szychowski, PhD
2021: Ryan Irvin PhD, MS
Distinguished Faculty Investigator
The purpose of this award is to recognize a senior faculty member for significant career achievements and an international reputation that brings prestige to UAB and the School of Public Health.
Recipients of this award exemplify the following:
- Extensive record of extramural peer-reviewed grant funding as principal investigator
- Numerous high-impact publications as both first and/or senior author
- Demonstrable success with and dedication to mentoring students and early-career faculty members
Eligibility
Full-time regular faculty members that hold a primary appointment in the School of Public Health. The individual will have more than fifteen years of research experience since their first faculty appointment and may receive the award only once in any five-year period. Nominations may be made by a faculty member at any university or college. Self-nominations are not allowed.
Sponsor
The School of Public Health Office of Research oversees recipient selection for this award. Recipients will receive a $500 award provided to the faculty member’s discretionary spending account and a plaque in honor of their achievement.
Submit Nomination: Distinguished Faculty Investigator Opens an external link.
Previous award recipients:
2023: Kelley Pettee Gabriel, PhD
2022: George Howard, DrPH
2021: Beth Lewis, MD, MSPH
2019: Peter Hendricks, PhD
2018: Craig Wilson, MD
2017: Paul Muntner, PhD
2015: Virginia Howard, PhD
2014: Gary Cutter, PhD
2013: Michael Foster, PhD
2012: Elizabeth Delzell, ScD
Excellence in Research Mentoring Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize faculty and senior research staff for their exceptional commitment to research mentoring relationships at the School of Public Health. Due to the nature of mentoring relationships, this award honors both members of a mentor/mentee pair.
Recipients of this award exemplify the following:
- Mentors whose outstanding efforts make them invaluable role models, resources, or champions of research mentoring
- Mentees who have demonstrated a strong commitment to being mentored, evidenced by concrete examples of how the mentoring relationship has resulted in valuable research products and/or career advancement
Eligibility
The mentor must be a full-time regular faculty member whose primary appointment is in the School of Public Health. The mentee can be a faculty or senior research staff member that has a primary appointment in the School of Public Health. The mentoring relationship does not need to be a formal arrangement. In any five-year period, faculty and/or senior research staff can only receive the award as a mentor or a mentee once. Nominations may be made by the mentee of the pair being nominated or another faculty member. Nominations from the mentor are not allowed.
Sponsor
The School of Public Health Office of Research oversees recipient selection for this award. Recipients will receive a $250 award provided to the faculty member’s discretionary spending account and a plaque in honor of their achievement.
Submit Nomination: Excellence in Research Mentoring Opens an external link.
Previous award recipients:
2024: Marguerite “Ryan” Irvin, PhD and Nicole Armstrong, PhD
2023: Janet Turan, PhD
Outstanding Staff Research Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize a staff member who demonstrates an exemplary commitment to the research mission of the school as outlined in the strategic plan. Recipients of this award have demonstrated outstanding performance in the conduct and/or dissemination of research.
Recipients of this award have demonstrated outstanding performance in the conduct and/or dissemination of research, and an exemplary commitment to the research mission of the school.
Eligibility
Full-time regular staff with a primary appointment in the School of Public Health may receive the award only once in any five-year period.
Sponsor
The School of Public Health’s Office of Research oversees recipient selection for this award.
Submit Nomination: Outstanding Staff Research Opens an external link.
Previous award recipients:
2024: Amit Patki
2023: Ligong Chen, PhD
2022: Karen Marshall
2021: April Sisson
Outstanding Research Administrator Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize a staff member who demonstrates an exemplary commitment to the research mission of the school as outlined in the strategic plan. Recipients of this award exemplify outstanding service in the administration of research.
Recipients of this award demonstrate an exemplary commitment to the research mission of the school and exemplify outstanding service in the administration of research.
Eligibility
Full-time regular staff with a primary appointment in the School of Public Health may receive the award only once in any five-year period.
Sponsor
The School of Public Health’s Office of Research oversees recipient selection for this award.
Submit Nomination: Outstanding Research Administrator Opens an external link.
Previous award recipients:
2024: Deonna Rasberry-Elmore, MBA
2023: Cassandra Johnson
2022: Paula Garman and Trena Johnsey
2021: Carol Mayes
Practice
Outstanding Faculty Public Health Service Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize faculty whose excellence in service and commitment to Public Health has brought honor to the school’s vision. Public health service activities may include technical assistance, program development, advocacy, education, or leadership.
Recipients of this award exemplify the promotion, protection, or enhancement of the public’s health through policy or systems development, direct intervention, or community education.
Eligibility
Full-time regular faculty members that hold a primary appointment in the School of Public Health. The individual must have held faculty status at UAB for a minimum of three years and may receive the award only once in any three-year period.
Sponsor
The Public Health Dean’s Office oversees recipient selection for this Public Health award. Recipients will receive a plaque in honor of their achievement.
Previous award recipients:
2023: Russell Griffin, PhD
2022: Martha Wingate, DrPH
2021: Nicole Wright PhD, MPH
2020: No recipient due to COVID-19
2019: Matt Fifolt, PhD
2017: Craig Wilson, MD
2015: Julie Preskitt, MSOT, MPH, PhD
2014: Michael Morrisey, PhD
2013: Lisa McCormick, DrPH, MPH
2012: Susan Davies, PhD
Outstanding Staff Public Health Service Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize a staff member who has honored the school’s vision through their accomplishments in public health service.
Recipients of this award exemplify the following:
- Promotion, protection, or enhancement of the health of people through policy or systems development, direct Intervention, or community education
- Engagement in public health service activities such as technical assistance, program development, advocacy, education, or leadership
Eligibility
Full-time regular staff with a primary appointment in the School of Public Health. The individual must have been employed at UAB for a minimum of 1 year and may receive the award only once in a three-year period.
Sponsor
The Dean’s Office oversees recipient selection for this award. Recipients will receive a plaque in honor of their achievement.
Previous award recipients:
2023: Shemeka Gillespie
2022: Elizabeth Blunck, MPH
2021: Meena Nabavi, MPH
2020: No recipient due to COVID-19
2019: Joanna Carson
2018: Robert Caldwell
2017: Elena Kidd, MPH
2015: Shauntice Allen, MA, PhD
2014: J. David Rhodes, BSN
2013: Brenda Campbell, BA
2012: Jason Avery, MPH
Shared Values
Shared Values Award
The purpose of the Shared Values Award is to recognize a School of Public Health staff member who has consistently exhibited excellence with one or more of the University’s “Shared Values” in their day-to-day functions. These values include integrity, respect, diversity and inclusiveness, collaboration, excellence and achievement, stewardship, and accountability.