David Becker

School of Public Health

David Becker, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Organization who has served as the director of the department’s doctoral program since 2015.

“Dr. Becker believes teaching is a performance aimed at making learning engaging and showcasing the joy of thinking,” a nominator wrote. “He strives to move students beyond initial reactions to deeper critical analysis of how the world works, how policies create trade-offs, and how perspectives shape understanding.”

“Every time I step into a classroom, I want my students to come away thinking, ‘this guy really loves teaching,’” Becker wrote of his teaching philosophy. “From my own experiences as a student, I quickly came to appreciate that it was not the facts that I would remember but the stories …. In the modern age where facts are readily available, stories are the key to knowledge.”

“When I entered a class titled ‘Health Economics,’ I was not planning to be very interested in the material,” a nominator wrote. “However, that class, taught by Dr. Becker, is the primary class in my Master of Science in Health Administration program that I would describe as ‘transformational.’”

Becker’s approach deliberately fosters balanced perspectives rather than partisanship, nominators said. “Academics are often criticized for being overly partisan, and universities are increasingly portrayed as factories of liberal indoctrination,” Becker said. “My approach to teaching has always encouraged precisely the opposite, as I want to prepare our students for a world of complex trade-offs where our heterogenous values inform the difficult decisions in public health policy.”

Brandon Blankenship

College of Arts and Sciences

Brandon Blankenship, J.D., serves as an assistant professor in the J. Frank Barefield, Jr. Department of Criminal Justice, where he also serves as the designated Law School Admission Council advisor. A nominator notes that Blankenship maintains close ties with a broad network of academic legal scholars and professional lawyers that give him a strong awareness of new laws, precedent-setting cases and current events, which he shares with students via various teaching methods.

Blankenship’s teaching is rooted in engagement and practice. “He consistently incorporates service learning, role playing, active engagement and flipped classrooms to convey complex topics,” a nominator wrote. Beyond the classroom, he sponsors UAB’s competitive Mock Trial team, spending Wednesday and Sunday evenings coaching and practicing with students. To strengthen the program, he has also built partnerships with private attorneys who volunteer their time to mentor the team.

Within the department, Blankenship is a leader in exploring the responsible use of artificial intelligence. He has become a trusted resource for colleagues and students on how to use AI tools with integrity while protecting the academic environment. His research extends this work further. He directs an ongoing project, "Advancing Legal Informatics: Fair and Explainable Artificial Intelligence for Judicial Decision Making," which examines the accuracy and reliability of AI tools in judicial contexts. By bridging law, computer science and judicial administration, this research seeks to develop innovative solutions that promote trust and fairness in legal systems.

Po-Hsu Chen

School of Dentistry

Po-Hsu Chen, DDS, M.S., MPH, is an associate professor in the Division of Prosthodontics and interim director of the Comprehensive Care Clinic in the Department of Restorative Sciences.

“Dr. Chen’s responsibilities as a professor span across multiple platforms, from the Preclinical Dentistry Clinic and the Comprehensive Care Clinic to the Graduate Prosthodontics department,” a student nominator wrote. “He is dedicated to perfecting students’ craft through a variety of teaching methods, encouraging students to improve and adapt to challenging situations.”

“He is a leader who models the values he expects others to uphold,” another nominator wrote. “He is prompt, fair and extremely hard-working.”

Chen is an exceptional individual with many academic accomplishments, a faculty nominator wrote. “In addition to his dental degree, he has completed two separate residency programs and has two master’s degrees. He has several published research papers and has made significant contributions to our field through his work. Aside from this, he is one of the hardest-working people I have ever met. He supervises students and residents in the clinic. He also teaches a significant portion of the second-year curriculum. This year, he took on the additional role of interim clinic director …. He is doing all of this without decreasing the time he spends on his other responsibilities. The students joke that he is always running, but it is true. He responds to emails even faster than he runs through the hallways …. He never complains; he simply gets the work done, and he does it well.”

Ryan Davis

Collat School of Business

Ryan L. Davis, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance.

“He frequently introduces new research that challenges traditional finance concepts, encouraging students to think critically about the evolving nature of the field,” a student nominator wrote. “He actively engages students in discussion, ensuring no one feels left behind.”

“Classroom engagement is important, especially for evening courses,” another student wrote. “Dr. Davis gives us the opportunity to talk through examples and ask questions connecting our classroom practice problems to current economic situations. He also consistently encourages students to apply our knowledge from his courses to the market, such as investing on our own and watching how the market is moving.”

“After taking his bonds class, I truly appreciated how deeply interested he is in his areas of research and teaching,” another student wrote. “I often stayed long after class to discuss topics like academia, finance and research. He never ushered me away, sternly corrected me when I was blatantly wrong, or left early. In fact, he did the opposite. He urged me to look into Ph.D. programs, gave me topics of interest to research, and seemed genuinely excited to talk about those topics well after our allotted class time.”

“Having endured many stuffy classroom environments as a student over the years, my goal as an instructor is to create a fun and interactive, yet challenging, classroom environment that equips students with the skills required to successfully enter the finance profession,” Davis wrote in his biographical sketch.

Kristi Carter Guest

Honors College

Kristi Carter Guest, Ph.D., is a research associate professor in the Department of Psychology and course director for the department’s Developmental Psychology class, which includes Honors Developmental Psychology. She has also taught Honors seminars and has demonstrated “an exceptional commitment to curriculum development and Honors education,” nominators said.

“Her dedication to student success is evident in her innovative and interactive teaching methods,” they added. “Students noted that it was clear to them that she focused on their needs. They cited the rigor of her classes, which focused on interactive teaching and experiential learning, allowing students to apply theoretical concepts in meaningful ways. Many described her teaching as life-changing.”

Guest has mentored research projects by students in the Science and Technology Honors Program and in the University Honors Program, both specialized programs in the UAB Honors College, as well as projects by students in the Department of Psychology. She has co-chaired four Honors thesis committees and has served on many graduate student committees in the Applied Developmental Psychology program, Medical/Clinical Psychology program, and the Health Behavior program in the School of Public Health.

One nominator noted that “many of her mentees have gone on to publish research, present at conferences, and achieve academic and professional success — a testament to her ability to inspire and cultivate intellectual growth.”

Gavin Jenkins

School of Health Professions

Gavin R. Jenkins, Ph.D., is professor and chair in the Department of Occupational Therapy.

“He fosters a classroom culture where students experience safety to explore new topics and participate in experiential learning,” a nominator wrote. He created the course “Creative Occupations” in conjunction with UAB Arts in Medicine for first-semester students in the doctoral program in Occupational Therapy. “Students explore the power of engaging in various occupations such as creative writing, dance and expressive arts as a pathway to health and well-being,” the nominator wrote. “Students consistently rate this course as a favorite and will reference the power of this course as something that helps remind them of their passion as the OT curriculum becomes more difficult during their didactic and clinical work.”

Jenkins was instrumental in another Arts in Medicine partnership to use magic as a therapeutic medium to promote motivation and improve physical, psychological, perceptual and social functions for children with disabilities. UAB Magic Camp is held each summer and is facilitated by occupational therapy students.

In 2023, Dr. Jenkins led UAB OT’s first study-abroad program in South Africa, which was “the largest study-abroad cohort in UAB history at that time,” a nominator wrote. “Recognizing that cost could be a barrier for some students, he proactively implemented creative solutions to reduce expenses, ensuring that all students had the opportunity to participate. This commitment to fairness and student-centered practice exemplifies Dr. Jenkins’ approach to teaching and leadership.”

Ho-Wook Jun

School of Engineering

Ho-Wook Jun, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

“Many students have personally told me about Dr. Jun’s dedication to his students, such as memorizing every student’s name in the first day, interacting daily with each student, and encouraging participation through open discussions,” a nominator wrote. “Dr. Jun has also invited speakers from medical schools, dental schools, and the biotech industry, which has promoted the students’ understanding of important issues in clinics, industry and product development.”

A former student, nominating Jun for the award, wrote: “Now, as a physician, I recognize even more clearly the foundational impact Dr. Jun has had on my journey …. I learned from Dr. Jun how to meet people where they are, how to teach by listening, and how to invest in someone’s potential — even before they can see it themselves. These are lessons I carry into every patient visit, every student interaction, and every opportunity I have to guide others on their path.”

“I first encountered the research of my current MIT advisor through Dr. Jun’s class — a testament to how deeply his curriculum influences students’ careers,” another former student wrote.

“What is really impressive to me is that Dr. Jun has been not only excellent in teaching, but also outstanding in mentoring,” a nominator wrote. “Notably, Dr. Jun has demonstrated passion to mentor diverse and underrepresented minorities group members through the McNair Minority program, CORD program, NSF REU/RET, the Science and Technology Honor Program. Dr. Jun has mentored over 100 mentees, and his mentees have received numerous top-tier awards.”

Linda Moneyham

School of Nursing

Linda Moneyham, Ph.D., R.N., is a University Professor of Nursing and senior associate dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Nursing.

In the latter role, “Dr. Moneyham has successfully led faculty in transformative curriculum revisions across all academic pathways, ensuring that UAB remains at the forefront of innovative, evidence-based nursing education,” a nominator wrote. “Under her leadership, both the prelicensure and graduate programs have achieved national recognition, consistently ranking among the top 10 public institutions in U.S. News & World Report.”

“Students note her ability to connect theory with clinical practice and science, creating intellectually stimulating classroom environments that support lifelong learning,” another nominator wrote.

Her collaborations on teaching practices, research and quality improvement with learners and mentees has led to numerous publications, with over 100 peer-reviewed articles to her name. Many of her former doctoral students have gone on to publish in prestigious journals and assume leadership roles in academia and health care.

In addition, a nominator wrote, Moneyham’s “HRSA-funded special projects, like the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, enable students to pursue advanced education with minimal financial burden.”

Moneyham’s influence also has impacted nursing education nationwide. “She has served on the Board of Governors for the National League for Nursing (NLN), chaired the NLN Nominations Committee, and represented the organization on the Nursing Advisory Committee for the Joint Commission,” a nominator explained. “Her work in national organizations has helped shape nursing education policy and standards, further demonstrating her influence in the field.”

Andrew Rothstein

School of Optometry

Andrew Rothstein, O.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Optometry and Vision Science.

“Dr. Rothstein has been an inspiring, enthusiastic and motivating professor,” a nominator wrote. “He is dedicated to excellence in his teaching, and as course director for the third-year Clinical Management course, is constantly revising the material and structure to provide the most clinical benefit to the students. His students regularly cite this course as a favorite.”

Rothstein also spent significant time developing a new practice program for the fourth-year students preparing to take Part III of the national boards certification exam, which was recently revised, a nominator said: “This practice program involved significant technological development of simulations, writing cases and even organizing the schedules and attendees for these evening events; he runs these multiple times a year to ensure all students have an opportunity to prepare.”

“Dr. Rothstein takes his student evaluations seriously and frequently adjusts his material to be more accessible and more useful based on their feedback,” the nominator wrote. “His feedback in his clinical teaching is detailed, actionable and always centered around helping the student become a better clinician. The students understand that his dedication to their success will lead to their becoming better providers in the future. He has a wonderful rapport with his patients, and his students enjoy his constant, careful attention to the patient’s needs as well as their own clinical instruction.”

Chere’ Stewart

Heersink School of Medicine

Chere’ LeBerte Stewart, M.D., is a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and an active clinical faculty member in the department’s Division of Women’s Reproductive Health. She served as the department’s medical student clerkship director from 2014-2024 and currently oversees the fourth-year curriculum, career advising and student engagement. She has led the department’s Student Advisory Council since 2015. “Dr. Stewart is a great physician and an amazing clinical educator,” a student wrote. “Her level of commitment to her field is clear and her empathetic nature is unmatched in my experience.”

Notably, Stewart has been directly associated with 15 Argus Award teaching nominations from students at the Heersink School of Medicine, a nominator noted, including Best Clerkship, Best Educator, Best Course Director and Best 2nd Year Teaching Module; she received an Argus Award for Best Educator and for Best Clerkship/Clinical Department. In fact, the department has been nominated for or received an Argus Award “every year that she has been involved with medical students,” the nominator wrote. “She has also received an Excellence in Medical Student Education award from the Department of OB/GYN every year since she became a faculty member in 2009.” In 2023, Dr. Stewart received the Heersink School of Medicine Dean’s Excellence Award for Teaching.

“Her passion and positive attitude are contagious,” a student wrote. Another remarked on her “passion for student education,” and added: “She is one of the educators I aim to emulate when interacting with students in the future.”

“Over the last five years under her leadership, we have seen a marked uptick in the interest in women’s health from UAB students,” a nominator said. “I very much credit Dr. Stewart and her leadership for this upswing in interest.”

Anne Theibert

Joint Health Sciences

Anne Theibert, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Neurobiology. “She is a prolific research mentor who inspired the next generation of neuroscientists,” a nominator wrote. “The success of her laboratory training environment and mentoring is evident by the fact that most of her trainees successfully obtained academic faculty positions.”

Early in her career while conducting research, Theibert taught several graduate core classes at UAB, often serving as the course director, the nominator wrote. “Subsequently, Dr. Theibert focused on co-developing the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program wherein she developed and taught multiple courses and served as program director for the first six years. Her ability to convey a large amount of complex material in an accessible manner is a cornerstone of the success of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program.”

Theibert also is able to write for academic and lay audiences, nominators said. In 2020, she contributed as a co-editor and co-author to the creation of the textbook “Essentials of Modern Neuroscience,” which provides a thorough overview of the basic science of the anatomy and function of the nervous system, as well as addressing nervous system disorders and therapeutics. Last year, she made an important contribution to another type of book entirely: “Neurobiology for Dummies.”

In 2019, Theibert “transformed two complex undergraduate courses to a fully online format using state-of-the-art resources and technology,” a nominator wrote. “Her adaptation of this format and technology provided a roadmap for other faculty to emulate during the Covid shutdowns when many courses were offered in online or hybrid formats.”