Who are Sparkman Scholars?
Sparkman Scholars are a part of a recognized network of UAB faculty working in areas of global health and development. This network aims to develop and facilitate new collaborations with colleagues across campus and making linkages with students interested in global health and development.
There are currently 87 UAB Faculty members who are part of the Scholars network. These scholars span 7 different colleges at UAB, working across 6 continents and 37 countries.
What do Sparkman Scholars do?
Sparkman scholars aim to develop and facilitate new collaborations with colleagues across campus.
Scholars also mentor students interested in global health and development through the Sparkman Fellows program, with a strategic focus on issues of health equity (roughly 20 mentors each academic year). Scholars are expected to meet with their mentee at least twice per semester and communicate to understand the student’s expectations and interests.
What do Sparkman Scholars get?
- Access to engaged students (Sparkman Fellows) interested in developing research skills who can collaborate on new or ongoing projects.
- Limited pilot grant funding available for scholars who are interested in Implementation Research and Practice (IR&P) in prioritized global public health topics, with local partners
- Unrestricted discretionary funding to active scholars who are conducing IR&P. Active scholars include those who are:
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- Currently serving as a mentor (Sparkman Fellow, INSIGHT D43 Trainee, or other Sparkman affiliate).
- Currently serving as a Global Health Case Competition judge or has served as a judge or mentor in the last three years.
- Attending quarterly meetings and engaging with other scholars through our TEAMS platform (sharing projects, resources, discussions, etc.).
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- Scholars are considered inactive if they do not participate in the above for 3 years or if they leave the UAB system
See below for a full list of our Sparkman Scholars, their departments, and interests!
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School of Public Health
School of Public Health
Mercy Ula, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Migrant and migrant worker health, vaccine-preventable diseases in low and middle-income countries, cancer screenings, environmental exposures from mining practices, WASH researchGeographical Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa, United States
Katia Bruxvoort
Research Focus: Infectious diseases, malaria, COVID, vaccines; infectious disease prevention, diagnostic/screening approaches, medication adherence; intervention implementation, evaluation; community impactGeographical Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa
Henna Budhwani, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Health disparities and Health Equity; Global Health; Stigma ReductionGeographical Focus: Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Eastern Caribbean Islands, Cameroon
Amy Chatham, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Rural health, Health equity and access, WASH, soil-transmitted helminth ingection, Community-Based Participatory ResearchGeographical Focus: United States
Zhen Cong, Professor
Research Focus: Climate change, disasters, older adults vulnerability and resilience to disasters, social and health disparities, disaster preparedness, mitigation, recovery, environmental justice, intergenerational relationships, family solidarity, filial piety, well-beingGeographical Focus: United States, China
Paul Erwin, Dean
Research Focus: Health SystemsGeographical Focus: Cuba, China, England
Shaikh Eskander, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Climate policy and economics, climate and health, energy development, sustainable developmentGeographical Focus: South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Eric Ford, Professor
Research Focus: Improving organization and infomration management, Healthcare managementGeographical Focus: Republic of China
Kathryn Foti, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Monitoring and improving the prevention and control of hypertension and elimination of cardiovascular health disparities locally and globally; health equityGeographical Focus: Bangladesh, Ethipoia, Ghana, United States
Meredith Gartin, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Globalization and health; food and water security; climate change; migration and refugee healthGeographical Focus: Latin America; South Pacific; US immigrant/refugees
Anna Helova, Deputy Director, Sparkman Center for Global Health
Pauline Jolly, Professor Emeritus
Research Focus: HIV/AIDS, STIs, Genetics of hypertension, Complementary/Alternative Medicine use for Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Cervical cancer screening and preventionGeographical Focus: Ghana, Jamaica, Kenya, Guatemala and Tanzania, Peru
Suzanne Judd, Professor
Research Focus: Diet and environment as mediators of racial disparities in the risk of hypertension, kidney disease, and stroke; nutrition science, obesity, community healthGeographical Focus: United States, France
Andrzej Kulczycki, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Reproductive health; Behavior and policy; Demography and population studies; Maternal and early child health; Vaccination and primary health care, health service delivery, and health policyGeographical Focus: Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Lebanon, Mexico and Poland
Bhekumusa Lukhele, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Socio-epidemiology, clinical Nursing, government & NGO management, health informaticsGeographical Focus: Eswatini, Uganda, Japan, London
Sarah MacCarthy, Associate Professor, Magic City LGBTQ Health
Research Focus: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) healthGeographical Focus: Brazil
Van Nghiem, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Economic evaluations for healthcare programsGeographical Focus: Vietnam
Emmanuel Odame, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Lung Cancer in low and middle-income countries, Cancer Screening in Sub-Saharan Africa, Secondhand smoke exposure, Vaccination and vaccine hesitancy, Climate change and health impacts in low and middle-income countriesGeographical Focus: Sub-Sharan Africa
Sadeep Shrestha, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases, womens health, HPV and HPV-related cancer, reproductive healthGeographical Focus: Nepal
Janet Turan, Professor
Research Focus: Maternal and child health (MCH) in low-resource settings; Stigma as it relates to a variety of reproductive health conditions/services, including abortion, obstetric fistula, HIV/AIDS, and gender-based violenceGeographical Focus: Kenya, Turkey, Eritrea, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Jordan, and Egypt
Jeffrey Wickliffe, Professor/Chairperson
Research Focus: Exposures to environmental chemicals and hazards, maternal and child health, neurodevelopment and neurological disease, cancerGeographical Focus: Kenya, Turkey, Eritrea, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Jordan, and Egypt
Craig Wilson, Professor Emeritus
Research Focus: HIV/AIDS, Healthcare workforce development and use of IT innovations to deliver educational contentGeographical Focus: Zambia, Ethiopia, African Educational systemst
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School of Medicine
School of Medicine
Lori Bateman, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Colon cancer screening, socio-cultural and demographic factors; utilizationGeographical Focus: Egypt
Carolyn Bolton Moore, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Implementation science, HIV, adolescent HIV, health systems strengtheningGeographical Focus: Zambia/Africa
Waldemar Carlo, Distinguished Professor
Research Focus: Neonatal and childhood research in single and multicenter trialsGeographical Focus: US, developing counrties, and Global Network
Jodie Dionne-Odom, Associate Professor
Research Focus: HIV and coinfections in pregnancyGeographical Focus: Cameroon
Marcela Frazier, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Educational interventions for improving eye care and health care in the Hispanic communityLily Gutnik, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Breast cancer, oncology, surgeryGeographical Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa
Renee Heffron, Professor
Research Focus: HIV prevention through biomedical intervention development and delivery optimizationGeographical Focus: Eastern and Southern Africa
Zdenek Hel, Professor
Research Focus: HIV/AIDS research, Pathology, Molecular Pathology, Immunology, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cancernGeographical Focus: South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Czech Republic
German Henostroza, Professor
Research Focus: TB-HIV, Tropical medicineGeographical Focus: Central & South America
Lisa Jackson, Professor
Research Focus: Cardiovascular prevention, digital health, womens healthGeographical Focus: Kenya
James Michael Johnston, Professor
Research Focus: Surgical Training and Capacity Building; Pediatric Neurosurgery; Hydrocephalus; Spina Bifida; Brain Trauma; Surgical Outcomes/Education; Craniofacial Surgery; Brain TumorsGeographical Focus: Vietnam, Ghana
Jayme Locke, Professor/Division Director
Research Focus: Transplant of incompatible organs, and HIV-infected end-stage patientsGeographical Focus: South Africa
Amy Mackay, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Neonatal global health with a focus on resuscitation and mobile health. I have a passion for implementation science involving translating early newborn care evidence-based interventions into clinical care in low-resource settings and discovering innovations to decrease neonatal morbidity and mortalityGeographical Focus: Zambia
Albert Manasyan, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Perinatal research, maternal & child health, cervical cancer, stigma, perinatal depressionGeographical Focus: Zambia
Simon Manga, Postdoctoral Researcher
Research Focus: Cervical cancer prevention, womens reproductive health careGeographical Focus: Cameroon, Sub-Saharan Africa
Lynn Matthews, Postdoctoral Researcher
Research Focus: HIV prevention and disclosure, Reproductive health, Safer conception, Reproductive rights, Womens healthGeographical Focus: South Africa, Uganda
Steven Obaro, Professor
Research Focus: Vaccine preventable infections of childhood, Antimicrobial resistance, Pathogen genomics, Infectious disease diagnostics, Hemoglobinopathies and infectionsGeographical Focus: United States, Nigeria, Rwanda
Holly Richter, Professor
Research Focus: Recto-and vesicovaginal surgery and research; pelvic floor surgery (prolapse, incontinence); global fellow educationGeographical Focus: West Africa
Brandon Rocque, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Neurosurgical education, Hydrocephalus incidence and treatment, epilepsy surgery program developmentGeographical Focus: Vietnam
Martin Rodriguez, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Tropical diseases including malaria, tuberculosis, metabolic complications in HIV; education interventions in Infectious Diseases for developing countriesGeographical Focus: Peru
Monsoor Saleh, Professor
Research Focus: Global oncology, clinical investigator training, clinical trials, overcoming barriers to cancer care and cancer clinical trialsGeographical Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia
Isabel Scarinci-Searles, Professor
Research Focus: Tobacco control; cervical cancer prevention and controlGeographical Focus: Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka
Michael Straughn, Professor
Research Focus: Cervical precancer and cancers screening and education, gynecologic care, OBGYN trainingGeographical Focus: Mekelle, Ethiopia
Alan Tita, Professor
Research Focus: Pregnancy, Infections, Epidemiology, Gynecology, Reproductive Health, Womens HealthGeographical Focus: Sub-Saharan South Africa
Barbara Van Der Pol, Professor
Research Focus: STIs and HIVGeographical Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa, Caribbean
R. Marty Vander Noot, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Tropical Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Ultrasound UtilizationGeographical Focus: Peru, Kenya and Cambodia
Michael Vinikoor, Associate Professor
Research Focus: HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, alcohol misues, mental health, implementation scienceGeographical Focus: Zambia
Ursula Wesselmann, Professor
Research Focus: Pain and Racial Health DisparitiesGeographical Focus: Asia
Amanda Willig, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Nutrition and Exercise interventions, HIV and TB, education of health professionalsGeographical Focus: Zambia, Panama
Nabinha Yusuf, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Cancer, Infectious diseaseMajd Zayzafoon, Associate Professor
Research Focus: International Human TraffickingGeographical Focus: China, Taiwan, Central America, Middle East
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College of Arts & Sciences
College of Arts & Sciences
Robert Blanton, Professor/Chairperson
Research Focus: Human Rights, Labor Rights, Human Trafficking, Workplace SafetyGeographical Focus: Cross-National
Renato Corbetta, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Research methodology, International relations, major power states in international politics and international lawLoretta Cormier, Professor
Research Focus: Historical ecology, ethnoprimatology, ethnohistorical researchGeographical Focus: Brazil
Colleen Fisher, Associate Professor
Research Focus: HIV/AIDS; water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH); maternal and child health; microfinance and other livelihood interventions to improve health in low resource settingsGeographical Focus: Kenya, India, Guatemala, Ecuador
Achala Gunasekara Rockwell, Credentialed Course Instructor
Research Focus: Languages and cultures of Asia. Improving educational opportunities in South Asian communities, especially among young girls and physicially disable children.Geographical Focus: Sri Lanka
Akhlaque Haque, Professor
Research Focus: Big Data, social justice, and public health data. Geographic information systems (GIS) and health related applications of GISGeographical Focus: Bangladesh
Ragib Hasan, Professor
Research Focus: Provided free online courses to rural and disadvantaged students in Bangladesh and India, and online learning programs through YouTubeGeographical Focus: Bangladesh
Chris Kyle, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Criminal violence and Narcotics, production, trafficking, use, and the associated violenceGeographical Focus: Mexico
Stacy Moak, Professor
Research Focus: Clean water, sustainable agriculture, education in orphanages, feminine hygiene produces to adolescent girls to promote education, and promoting policies to end the process of female genital mutilation in the Maasai cultureGeographical Focus: Nairobi and Maasai Mara, Kenya
Tina Reuter, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Human rights, ethnic conflict and conflict resolution, peace studies, international politics/lawGeographical Focus: Middle East and North Africa, Europe, Kenya, Peru
Christina Rodriguez, Professor
Research Focus: Parenting, child abuse, intimate partner violenceGeographical Focus: Spain, Peru, United States
Cynthia Ryan, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Medical RhetoricGeographical Focus: India, Nepal, Zambia, Poland, the Netherlands, United States
David Schwebel, University Professor
Research Focus: Child and adolescent unintentional injuryGeographical Focus: China, Iran, Uganda, Canada
Lisa Sharlach, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Child and adolescent unintentional injuryGeographical Focus: China, Iran, Uganda, Canada
Magdalena Szaflarski, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Cross-cultural comparisons and vulnerable populations (immigrant health, HIV, mental/behavioral health, neurologic diseases), and comparative health care systemsGeographical Focus: Eastern Europe, former USSR/Russia designs
Bulent Turan, Adjunct Associate Professor
Research Focus: Mechanisms underlying the relationship between social bonds and well-being across the life-span; Sitgma and discriminationGeographical Focus: Turkey
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School of Health Professions
School of Health Professions
Nancy Borkowski, Professor
Research Focus: Advancing health management as a professionGeographical Focus: China
Leandra Celaya, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Healthcare Management EducationGeographical Focus: Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Brazil, Switzerland, Czech Republic, France, Spain, The Netherlands, and Honduras
S. Robert Hernandez, Professor
Research Focus: Management and leadership development, healthcare management researchGeographical Focus: Armenia, Western & Central Europe, Russia, Saudi Arabia
Shannon Houser, Professor
Research Focus: Education and research in the areas of Healthcare/Hospital Administration, Health Information/Informatics, health behavior, and epidemiologyGeographical Focus: China
Nataliya Ivankova, Professor
Research Focus: Qualitative inquiry, mixed methods research, community-based and action research, implementation science and translational researchGeographical Focus: Generally international - no specific area
Gavin Jenkins, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Education Abroad Programs for Occupational Therapists; Collaboration with the OT Association of South Africa to support the credentialing of OTs who work in Low Vision Rehabilitation; Discussion representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross to support development of hybrid school of OT in RwandaGeographical Focus: South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda
Heather Lee, Professor/Chairperson
Research Focus: Physical therapyAna Oliveira, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Infectious Diseases, Parasitolgy, Epidemiology and Public Helath Practice (ex: outbreak investigation), EducationGeographical Focus: United States
Chandrika Piyathilake, Professor
Research Focus: Lifestyle-based interventions cancer prevention and control, Discovery and validation of early detection biomarkers of cancer, Validation of cost-effective tests for cervical cancer screening, Novel evidence-based approaches to increase the accuracy of cervical cancer screening in HIV infectedGeographical Focus: Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Colombia
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School of Nursing
School of Nursing
Deborah Bowers, Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Mobile medical clinics; access to primary care in critical provider shortage areas and refugee settlements; treatment for infectious diseases of povertyGeographical Focus: United States, South Sudan, Uganda, South Africa, Venezuela
Martha Dawson, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Impact of nurse mitigation on the cost of health care, nursing and global healthGeographical Focus: Canada, Denmark, Philippines, Ghana
Mirjam-Colette Kempf, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Infectious disease, HIV/AIDSGeographical Focus: Nepal
Ada Markaki, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Health systems research in primary health care; collaborative practice; compassionate care; organ donationGeographical Focus: Latin American and Caribbean region, Greece
Lynn Nichols, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Sustainable development goals and social determinants of health; interprofessional teamworkGeographical Focus: Haiti, Thailand
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School of Education
School of Education
Grace Jepkemboi, Associate Professor
Research Focus: Psychosocial aspects on Children and families impacted by HIV/AIDS, HIV /AIDS and Adolescents populationGeographical Focus: Kenya, Swaziland, Jamaica
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Collat School of Business
Collat School of Business
Phillip Musa, Associate Professor
Research Focus: IT diffusion/adoption; Public Health Disease Surveillance and Containment; Health Equity and Access; IT for Development, IT Preparedness for Telemedicine, etc.Geographical Focus: Sub Saharan Africa and other Low Resource Regions
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