Valley McCurry, Ph.D., MBA, OTR/L, FAOTA, assistant professor, UAB Department of Occupational Therapy, was inducted into the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Roster of Fellows earlier this year.

Jane Banaszak-Holl, Ph.D., chair of the UAB Department of Health Services Administration, has been awarded the Medical Care Research and Review 2022 Article of the Year for the paper she co-authored titled “Public Health and Health Sector Crisis Leadership During Pandemics: A Review of the Medical and Business Literature.”

Addy Bias, a senior majoring in biobehavioral nutrition and wellness, created the mural that is displayed in the stairwell on the north side of the Susan Mott Webb Nutrition Sciences Building (WEBB). Bias wanted to create a piece that represented movement and the School of Health Professions from her viewpoint. We sat down with Bias to learn more.

Emily Pounds, a clinical research coordinator in the Department of Nutrition Sciences, created the mural that is displayed in the stairwell on the south side of the Susan Mott Webb Nutrition Sciences Building (WEBB). She used her artistic background to create a mural titled, “A Spot in the Sun.” We sat down with Pounds to discuss her upbringing, her connection to art, and what UAB means to her.

Christine C. Ferguson, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow with the School of Health Professions Research Collaborative, and Daniel L. Smith, Jr., associate professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences, receive the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship (ASF) of Alabama’s Outstanding Academic Mentor Award.

UAB Doctorate of Physical Therapy third-year students are finishing up their clinical experiences before graduation in December. One student in particular is making strides to combine his love for sports with his physical therapy skills.

Noah Dehart, a third-year student in the UAB Doctor of Physical Therapy program was selected by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) for the Charles Harker Internship. Dehart becomes the first student from UAB to be selected.

Every year, the School of Health Professions recognizes top faculty, staff and students with awards. Here are the winners of the awards for 2023.

Alanis Stansberry, a second-year student in the UAB PhD in Nutrition Sciences program, has been selected as a 2023-2024 Fellow of Albert Schweitzer Fellowship of Alabama (ASF).

Brenda Bertrand, Ph.D., RDN, program director, UAB M.S. in Nutrition Sciences, has been selected for the 2023 Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions Leadership Development program. She is the first faculty member from UAB to be chosen by ASAHP for this program.

For the third consecutive year, the UAB School of Health Professions (SHP) has awarded members of the SHP faculty with faculty grants. This year’s winners are Alexandra Evancho, PT, DPT, assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy; Seung Yup (Joshua) Lee, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Health Services Administration; and Megan Carpenter, OTD, OTR/L, SCFES, assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, and Elizabeth Wylie, PT, DPT, NCS, assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy.

Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, PhD, RD, Professor and Webb Endowed Chair of Nutrition Sciences was selected by the American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) as the winner of the 2023 Joseph F. Fraumeni, Jr. Distinguished Achievement Award. 

Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends, numerous scholarships have been established to benefit students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. These are the 2022-23 scholarship award winners.

Amy Y. Landry, Ph.D., the University of Alabama at Birmingham Howard W. Houser Endowed Professor in Health Administration, is the winner of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration, Quint Studer Gratitude Prize for Teaching Excellence.

Kiara Thompson, a third-year student in the UAB Doctor of Physical Therapy program was awarded the 2022 SAHPD Student Leadership in Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Award from the Southern Association of Health Professions Deans at Academic Health Centers.

Nicollette Houston-Turner and Yesi Villanueva, two students from the UAB School of Health Professions, were among the largest group of students selected for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. The Gilman scholarship strives to widen the range of students eligible to experience studying abroad. The program is intent on encouraging students to study and learn in an array of countries and world regions.

Ana Oliveira, DrPH, assistant professor in the Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, has been honored with the Provost's Award for Faculty Excellence.

Lakeshore Foundation President and CEO John Kemp recently released Disability Friendly: How to Move From Clueless to Inclusive. The book explores disability and employment with personal experiences and lessons that Kemp has gleaned in his 60-plus-year involvement in disability work and advocacy.

Nancy Borkowski, DBA, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Health Services Administration, has been selected to receive the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, which honors those who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in teaching.

On the morning of Oct. 26, feedback about John Fetterman’s debate performance the night before was overwhelmingly abysmal. Critics acknowledged the auditory processing challenges he faced as a recovering stroke survivor but were unequivocally dismissive of his chances in the United States Senate race in Pennsylvania. Some called for him to withdraw from the race altogether.