Professor Emeritus
Dr. Clair earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Psychology in 1980, and his Master of Arts degree in Sociology in 1983, from San Diego State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Sociology with a Doctoral Minor in Anthropology in 1987 from Louisiana State University, as well as serving a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Southern California, Andrus Gerontology Center, from 1987-88.
He served for twenty-seven years in the UAB Department of Sociology from 1988 to 2015. He was instrumental in the development of the Medical Sociology Doctoral Program; and served as the Graduate Director, from 2000-2006. Dr. Clair also generated, developed and directed the Applied Sociology Graduate Program, from its birth in 2011-2015.
Dr. Clair ’s teaching and research was always multidisciplinary, and he helped integrate Sociology campus-wide. He served as the Director of the University Gerontology Education Program (Multi-Disciplinary Graduate Certificate and Undergraduate Minor Studies), 1989-1997; and served as the Director of the Center for Social Medicine, College of Arts and Sciences, 2011-2015.
Dr. Clair was an Ingalls Presidential Teaching Award Finalist, 2001; received the University Graduate School Excellence in Mentorship Award, 2008; and received the Social and Behavioral Sciences Award for Excellence in Mentorship, 2010.
His University service included serving as a member of the Institutional Review Board for Human Use, 1991-1995, University Athletic Committee, 1992-1998, Graduate School Graduate Council 2000-2006, University Faculty Senate, 2004-2008, and service through several secondary appointments in the Department of General Medicine, School of Medicine, Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, and the Developmental Psychology Program.
Nationally, Dr. Clair made significant contributions to the medical sociology, qualitative method, death and dying, and homeless literature, including over 50 peer-reviewed articles, five books and a documentary film. On campus, he consistently demonstrated his passion for teaching, from undergraduate intro to core doctoral program courses. He had a strong dedication to students, and recruited and chaired some of our program’s initial and foundational doctoral graduates, continuing to serve as an invaluable and influential mentor until his retirement in 2015.