The Samuel B. Barker Award for Excellence in Graduate Studies, named for UAB’s first graduate dean, Dr. Samuel Booth Barker, was introduced in 1995. Each Spring since then, students (at the master's level and at the doctoral level) who will graduate in the Spring, Summer, or Fall of the calendar year, may be nominated for "the Barker award" by their department's graduate program director. The Dean of the Graduate School chooses the final recipients from the group of nominees, whose names appear on plaques outside the Graduate School office as continuing evidence of their accomplishments.
The nominees for the Barker Awards must be:
- a currently enrolled graduate student,
- with an anticipated graduation date of April, August, or December of the year in which the nomination is being submitted,
- who has excelled in their academic programs.
Student contributions to the community are also considered, but are secondary. A nomination packet consists of the nomination form, the students curriculum vitae or resume, and two letters of support explaining why the program has nominated the student.
Past Recipients
-
2023 - 2020
2023
Doctoral RecipientCasey Mahoney-Crane, Neuroscience, Graduate Biomedical Sciences
Master's Recipient
Banks Stamp, Public Administration
2022
Doctoral RecipientsLacy Goode, Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience
Boyi Guo, Biostatistics
Bharat Mishra, Biology
Doris Pu, Medical/Clinical Psychology
Shameka Phillips, NursingMaster's Recipients
Machelle Campbell, Public Administration
Mary Margaret Gunn, Nutrition Sciences
Jacob Paiste, Physics
Dalton Patterson, Multidisciplinary Biomedical Science
Benjamin Rich, Community Health and Human Services2021
Doctoral RecipientsSabrina Heiser, Biology
Valene Garr Barry, Nutrition Sciences
Macy Stockdill, Nursing
Riley Hightower, Graduate Biomedical Science, Neuroscience
Leland Fleming, Graduate Biomedical Science, NeuroscienceMaster's Recipients
Audra Gottier Weber, Business Administration
Aldric Gardiner, Management Information Systems
Blake Beaton, Criminal Justice
Angela Richardson, Nutrition Sciences
Sam Phillips, English2020
Doctoral RecipientsRose Creed, Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience
Catherine Scull, Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Wesley LaBarge, Biomedical Engineering
Katie Cederberg, Rehabilitation Science
Sumner Harris, Physics
Master's Recipients
Jessica Robbins, English
Bethany Langer, Multidisciplinary Biomedical Science
Robert Ezekiel, Art History
Trey Gordon, Public Administration
Kory Dees, Biomedical and Health Sciences -
2019 - 2010
2019
Mark Pepin, Doctoral Level, Medical Scientist Training Program and Biomedical Engineering
Antonio Foles, Master's Level, Health Behavior2018
John Donnelly, Doctoral Level, Epidemiology
Firooz Jahani, Master's Level, Public Administration2017
Jennifer Bail, Doctoral Level, Nursing
Ibawolatei Iyegha, Master's Level, Accounting2016
Jay Bhatt, Doctoral Level, Neuroscience
Marie Sutton, Master's Level, English2015
Julie Schram, Doctoral Level, Biology
Jessica Deitzer, Master's Level, Criminal Justice2014
Stephanie N. Brosius, Doctoral Level, Neuroscience
Joanna C. Wilson, Master's Level, Art History2013
Roberta Challener, Doctoral Level, Biology
Stephanie Cardwell, Master's Level, Criminal Justice2012
Juan Calix, Doctoral Level, Microbiology
Jacob Nelson, Master's Level, Mechanical Engineering2011
Katie Gibbs, Doctoral Level, Biology
James Gothard, Master's Level, English2010
Craig Aumack, Doctoral Level, Biology
Bonnie Kathleen Culpepper, Master's Level, Biomedical Engineering -
2009-2000
2009
Ozioma C. Okonkwo, Doctoral Level, Medical/Clinical Psychology
Sally E. Culpepper, Master's Level, English2008
Scott W. Keith, Doctoral Level, Biostatistics
Christopher Null, Master's Level, History2007
T. Scott Isbell, Doctoral Level, Pathology
John C. Mahan, Master's Level, English2006
Francisco Hernandez, Doctoral Level, Computer and Information Sciences
Lauren Rast, Master's Level, Physics2005
Paula Chandler-Laney, Doctoral Level, Psychology-Behavioral Neuroscience
Rosie O'Bierne, Master's Level, Anthropology2004
Chenxi Wang, Doctoral Level, Nutrition Science
Dina Hagler, Master's Level, English2003
William J. Tyler, Jr., Doctoral Level, Psychology-Behavioral Neuroscience
Barbara J. Adams, Master's Level, Health Informatics2002
Jeremy R. Patterson, Doctoral Level, Physics
Catherine M. Stevens, Master's Level, Art History2001
Bryan A. Moore, Doctoral Level, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Aysha D. Bey, Master's Level, English2000
Shelley E. Haydel, Doctoral Level, Microbiology
Donna L. Cox, Master's Level, History -
1999 - 1995
1999
Scott Jenkins, Doctoral Level, Psychology-Behavioral Neuroscience
Helene Dubois, Master's Level, Electrical and Computer Engineering1998
Hunter Moseley, Doctoral Level, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Traci Parnell, Master's Level, Art History1997
Sara J. Sudmeier, Doctoral Level, Chemistry
Staci S. Simon, Master's Level, History1996
Philip Chen, Doctoral Level, Pathology
Daniel P. Swenson, Master's Level, Biology1995
Peter P. Sayeski, Doctoral Level, Physiology and Biophysics
Julia A. Hagle, Master's Level, Health Information Management