Louis B. Justement, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Microbiology and director of the GBS Immunology Graduate Theme, has been elected to the Graduate Research, Education and Training (GREAT) Group Steering Committee as a Member-at-Large, effective Sept. 25, 2020.
The GREAT Group is an Affinity Group of the AAMC that focuses on career and professional development for trainees, and fosters the exchange of information and ideas among the faculty and administrative leaders of biomedical Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., and postdoctoral programs. The GREAT Group oversees graduate-level education, and is one of three sections at AAMC focused on education.
When asked what this election means to him, Justement says, “It is an honor to be elected to the Steering Committee of the GREAT Group as it will provide me with an incredible opportunity to work with a dedicated group of individuals from across the country to address important issues to ensure effective Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D. and postdoctoral training leading to a diverse, well-prepared biomedical workforce.”
Justement has been a member of the School of Medicine faculty since 1996, when he began as an associate professor. Prior, he completed his B.A. in Microbiology at Miami University and finished his M.S. at Ohio State University, where he also received his Ph.D in Microbiology. He completed his postdoctoral training in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colorado. Before his arrival at UAB, Justement served as assistant and associate professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Justement has received numerous awards for his educational activities, including the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Dean’s Excellence in Teaching award, and has received the Argus award for best Course Director/Lecturer in the medical school several times throughout the years. Justement served as the Chair of the Training and Career Opportunities Subcommittee at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology for 10 years and has been actively engaged in several other organizations that focus on graduate and postdoctoral training at the national level. He currently serves as the director for the GBS Immunology Theme and as the director for the Undergraduate Immunology Program at UAB, and previously served as the associate director for the Medical Scientist Training Program. Justement’s involvement in all areas of education at UAB has been outstanding.
Justement says this nomination aligns with his professional path: “I have spent a significant portion of my career focused on training issues, both at UAB and nationally, to ensure the success of our graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. This is important to me because when I was a trainee, there really was not the focus on career and professional development that we have today, and I am a strong proponent of the important role this plays in helping our trainees be successful in their chosen career path.”
Justement will be welcomed to the GREAT Group Steering Committee meeting on Friday, Sept. 25 through a virtual ceremony.