The UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is pleased to announce the promotion of three faculty members, including two researchers and one neuropsychologist effective Oct. 1, 2023.

Please join us in congratulating these individuals and thanking them for their dedication to the department and to the UAB medical community. This is a significant achievement in their academic careers and recognizes the accomplishments as a faculty member at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“I am happy that we are able to support and advance our faculty to the next level of development and growth. So very proud of these faculty members for putting in the work to earn the promotion,” stated Vu Nguyen, Department of PM&R Chair.

Sean Hollis, Ph.D. — Promoted to Associate Professor
Hollis is a Co-Director of Neuropsychology Didactics for graduate students, interns, and postdocs. He joined the department in 2016 as a postdoc in clinical neuropsychology at UAB’s Spain Rehabilitation Center. He became a faculty member in 2018. His clinical practice involves assessment and intervention of adults and adolescents with acquired brain injuries such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, tumor, concussion, and dementia. His research has focused on identifying factors related to improved rehabilitation outcomes following traumatic brain injury.

Rachel Cowan Ph.D. — Promoted to Associate Professor
Cowan is the Co-Director of UAB’s Spinal Cord Injury Model System. She joined the department in 2018 following her time as Research Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. Cowan’s research philosophy is to conduct research that can be immediately applied by clinicians and patients. The global theme of her research is development, testing, and deployment of cost-effective fitness, mobility, and assistive technology interventions that improve independence, decrease burden of care and enhance quality of life in PM&R populations.

Jereme Wilroy, Ph.D. — Promoted to Associate Professor
Wilroy is Co-Director of UAB’s Spinal Cord Injury Model System. He joined the department in 2019 following post-doctoral fellowships; one-year at Lakeshore Foundation and two years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has since been named the Director of Research at the Lakeshore Foundation and the UAB Dean’s Excellence Award winner in Research. He also serves the university as an associate scientist for COERE, CEDHARS, and CCTS. He is PI of a 5-year R01 examining the cardiometabolic effects of exercise in wheelchair users. He is currently participating as a Co-I on eight extramural grants totaling $41 million from NIH, NIDILRR, DOD, CDC, and PVA.