Farah D. Lubin, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurobiology, is the senior faculty winner of the 2020 Dean’s Excellence Award in Diversity Enhancement.
Lubin received a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Immunology from Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York. She completed two postdoctoral fellowships in Molecular Neuroscience—the first at Baylor College of Medicine and the second at UAB in the Department of Neurobiology. Lubin joined the faculty at UAB with a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH/NIMH). She is co-director of the NIH/NINDS Neuroscience Roadmap Scholar (RMS) Program for graduate students at UAB, and co-director of the NIH/NIGMS Mentored Experiences in Research, Instruction, and Teaching (MERIT) Program for postdoctoral fellows at UAB. She serves on the UAB GBS Neuroscience theme admissions committee and Medical Scientist training program (MSTP) advisory board. Lubin holds several appointments in the Civitan International Research Center, Comprehensive Neuroscience Center, Integrative Center for Aging Research, Alzheimer’s Disease Center, and Nathan Shock Center, while also holding several associate scientist and associate professor appointments throughout the School of Medicine. Additionally, she continues to serve on NIH study sections and on editorial boards for various scientific journals. Lubin’s work is currently funded by grants from the NIH, the Epilepsy Foundation, and the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute.
Since her arrival at UAB, Lubin has been a constant champion of diversity for trainees and faculty. As co-director of the RMS Program at UAB, Lubin has made it her goal to enhance engagement and retention of underrepresented (URM) graduate trainees in the neuroscience workforce. Through RMS, Lubin serves as a professional and personal advisor to the School of Medicine neuroscience URM graduate students, shepherding them through their career development. Similarly, Lubin is a mentor to students of the UAB Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science chapter. She also serves as a Grant Reviewer for faculty in the Junior Faculty Training Program Health Disparities Research Education Program, which is sponsored by UAB Centers in collaboration with the MHRC, Creighton University, Morehouse School of Medicine, Tuskegee University, UA, and USA. Moreover, she co-organizes the UAB National Enhancement of Underrepresented Academic Leaders conference, an annual scientific conference at UAB that brings together URM students and graduate students from across the country to present their research, participate in professional development workshops, and a variety of educational activities.
“In summary, Farah is leading amazing diversity programs,” says Craig Powell, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Neurobiology. “She performs countless hours of one-on-one mentoring of students, while responding to calls on nights and weekends from URM students in distress. Lubin is a great ambassador of diversity across all levels on our campus. She has focus, drive, and a strong record of accomplishment, success, and productivity. She understands that enhancing diversity and inclusion must start early in a trainees life and continue throughout their career to have lasting impact.”