David Briles, Ph.D.; Janet Yother, Ph.D.; Jocelyn Hauser; Kanupriya Gupta, Ph.D.Janet Yother, Ph.D., has a special knack for encouraging minorities who have chosen to pursue a career in science and mentoring them to become successful scientists. Her work to promote diversity in science education and training was recognized on February 13, 2014, when she received the UAB President’s Diversity Award for Mentoring.

"The mentoring award is a new category of diversity award,” explains UAB Microbiology Department professor David Briles, Ph.D. “It is for faculty who through their mentoring have had a significant impact on the diversity of UAB students and graduates. Janet mentored the first under-represented minority student to receive a Ph.D. while training in the UAB Microbiology Department. This success made it clear that our department could provide a nurturing environment for students of all stripes and has led to the training of many minority graduate students in the labs of microbiology faculty members.”

UAB President’s Diversity Awards are presented annually to recognize the significant achievements of faculty, staff and students who have worked to develop a more culturally diverse, competent and inclusive university community. Awards are given in five categories for projects or activities that best reflect the implementation of unit and/or campus diversity goals.