A Career Coach is a faculty member, or other career professional, who is not the dissertation mentor nor on the thesis committee, and who is chosen by the scholar to provide supplemental perspectives on the challenges of graduate training and the development of a career plan. Career Coaches are dedicated to your success.
Seeking a Career Coach? Interested in becoming a Career Coach? Contact us at roadmap@uab.edu.
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Jarrod Barnes, Ph.D.
Jarrod Barnes, Ph.D.
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Sofia Beas, Ph.D.
Sofia Beas, Ph.D.
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Mark Bolding, Ph.D.
Mark Bolding, Ph.D.
Director, Civitan International Neuroimaging Laboratory
Associate Professor, Division of Advanced Medical Imaging Research
Department of Radiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
Bolding Lab website -
Lillian Brady, Ph.D.
Lillian Brady, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology
Scholars@UAB profile
Dr. Lillian J. Brady is a native of Jackson, Mississippi and is a two-time graduate of Historically Black College/University (HBCU), Alcorn State University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 2009 and a Master of Science degree in Biotechnology in 2011. Lillian obtained her PhD from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the Department of Neurobiology, under the mentorship of Dr. Lynn Dobrunz, where her research focused on outlining the effects of antipsychotic medications and other pharmacological agents targeting the dopamine system, on the local circuitry of the hippocampus, which controls learning, memory, and cognition. After completing her PhD, she joined the Vanderbilt University Department of Pharmacology and Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research as a part of the 1st cohort of Academic Pathways Postdoctoral Research Fellows. Her postdoctoral research, funded by an NIH MOSAIC K99/R00 Career Transition Award through the National Institute on Drug Abuse, focused on sex differences in nicotinic receptor regulation of dopamine release mechanisms underlying reward circuitry in substance use disorder. Dr. Brady returned to UAB in May of 2023 to open her independent laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology. Her research program focuses on investigating how biological sex and hormones modulate the pharmacodynamics of medications/drugs of abuse on neural circuit activity underlying environmental context-reward associations in substance use disorder. -
Kauê M. Costa, Ph.D.
Kauê M. Costa, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Department of Psychology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
Costa Lab website
I was born and raised in the north of Brazil, in the city of Belém, right on the delta of the Amazon river. I got a bachelor's in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Pará, in my hometown. I later received a master's degree in Physiology from the University of São Paulo, and a Doctoral degree from the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research and Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. I moved to the United States for a postdoc at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and in January 2024 I became an assistant professor here at UAB. Growing up in the Amazon as a kid of indigenous descent provided me with experiences that are unique within my current peer group, which I greatly appreciate. But it also meant I had to emigrate to pursue a more productive scientific career, first to other regions in Brazil, then to Germany, and finally the United States. I learned a lot in the course of that journey, including the impact of the additional burdens that people from underrepresented groups have to face, but also many strategies on how to overcome them. I had the privilege of working with outstanding mentors who taught me several effective ways to optimize my career development, and I am always eager to provide the same lessons to my own trainees. I have practical experience in different programs that provide mentorship and opportunities for early career investigators, and in successfully mentoring people from underrepresented backgrounds. This has meant helping them get into college/grad school/med school, all the way to publishing papers, getting grants, dealing with toxic work relationships, and overall navigating the world of academia. In terms of research, I investigate how learning is instantiated in the brain, with a focus on the mechanisms of how new information gets integrated with previously existing knowledge. I believe that understanding how learned associations are mapped within pre-existing internal representations is a key problem in neuroscience, and I study how different circuits, cell types, and genetic and environmental factors shape this process. Work in my lab addresses the function of brain regions like the frontal cortex, basal ganglia, and the midbrain dopamine system, and we use theory-inspired behavioral tasks in rats combined with state-of-the-art methods for recording, imaging, and manipulating brain activity, genetic manipulations, and computational modelling. -
Rita Cowell, Ph.D.
Rita Cowell, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Neurology
Associate Director for Training, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics
Scholars@UAB profile -
Camerron Crowder, Ph.D.
Camerron Crowder, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Assistant Director of Education, Research, and Science Communication, Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute
Scholars@UAB profile
Website -
Scott Cruikshank, Ph.D.
Scott Cruikshank, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Department of Neurobiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
Dr. Cruikshank believes that inequities associated with circumstances of birth should not be allowed to interfere with academic and scientific progress. He was a first-generation college student with full financial need, and directly benefitted from generous institutional grant support and mentorship. As an RMS Career Coach, he hopes to facilitate progress of hardworking students who have an interest in pursuing Neuroscience. -
Kirstie Cummings, Ph.D.
Kirstie Cummings, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Department of Neurobiology profile
Cummings Lab website
I am originally from New York, and I am the first in my family to go to college and pursue post-graduate education. Unlike many others, I never really knew what I wanted to do and have changed fields from microbiology to biophysics to systems neuroscience. I also have experience and success with interviewing for industry research, consulting, and academic positions. My greatest passion lies in mentoring and supporting my trainees in whatever endeavors they wish to pursue. Outside of the lab, I enjoy spending time outdoors, cooking, and playing with my dogs. -
Mariana DuPont, Ph.D.
Mariana DuPont, Ph.D.
IRACDA-MERIT Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Psychology
Google Scholar profile
LinkedIn
Dr. Mariana DuPont received a BS in Biology from Dillard University in 2017 and a PhD in Vision Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2022. She is performing her postdoctoral research under the mentorship of Burel Goodin PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology, conducting laboratory-based pain research in patient cohorts. Dr. DuPont is an expert in NASA based software (VESGEN) and a former Roadmap Scholar. -
Aurelio Galli, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Aurelio Galli, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Professor, Department of Surgery
Director for Gastrointestinal Biology Research
Senior Scientist, Comprehensive Neuroscience Center, General Clinical Research Center
Department of Surgery profile
Scholars@UAB profile -
Karen Gamble, Ph.D.
Karen Gamble, Ph.D.
Tate Jordan Thomas Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology
Vice Chair for Basic Research
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile -
Mary Anne Garner, Ph.D.
Mary Anne Garner, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Department of Neurobiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
I grew up in Alabama and was the first person in my family to pursue a graduate degree. As an undergrad, I thought I would pursue microbiology, but working as a research technician, I fell in love with cellular signaling in neurons. I received my PhD in neuroscience from Cornell University and was a postdoc at Weill Cornell Medicine in NYC. After the birth of my children, I taught at primarily undergraduate institutions for a decade. I mentored several undergraduates in my laboratory, and many of them are either currently in graduate school or have faculty jobs of their own. In 2021, I returned to full time research as a research scientist, and I have been on faculty in the Neurobiology Dept at UAB since the beginning of 2024. I am passionate about mentoring students as they develop laboratory techniques, writing skills, and expand their scientific knowledge. Outside of lab, I enjoy spending time with my two sons and our puppy dog. I love to read science fiction, cook, play games with my kids, and travel. -
Cristin Gavin, Ph.D.
Cristin Gavin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Biomedical Programs, School of Medicine
Co-Director, Undergraduate Neuroscience Program
Co-Director, Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program
Department of Neurobiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
I am an Associate Professor of Neurobiology and Associate Dean for Biomedical Programs in the Heersink School of Medicine. My research background includes molecular mechanisms of memory formation, epigenetic regulation of memory, and epigenetic contributions to neurodevelopmental disorders. I co-direct the UAB PREP Scholars Program, Blazer BRAIN R25 summer program, and the MARC Scholars Program. My hobbies include olympic weight lifting, reading (anything and everything), and carting my two kids around to various activities. I'm told I'm an enneagram 8 but I think I'm kind of a softie. -
Matthew Goldberg, Ph.D.
Matthew Goldberg, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology
Charles S. Ackerman Endowed Professorship
Senior Scientist, Comprehensive Neuroscience Center, General Clinical Research Center
Department of Neurology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
Goldberg Lab website -
Merida Grant, Ph.D.
Merida Grant, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile -
Alecia Gross, Ph.D.
Alecia Gross, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Assistant Dean of Faculty Affairs
Department of Neurobiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile -
Ashley Harms, Ph.D.
Ashley Harms, Ph.D.
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Abbi Hernandez, Ph.D.
Abbi Hernandez, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine - Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care
Scholars@UAB profile -
Caesar Hernandez, Ph.D.
Caesar Hernandez, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine - Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care
Scholars@UAB profile -
Rajesh Kana, Ph.D.
Rajesh Kana, Ph.D.
Professor, UAB Department of Psychology
Associate Dean for Graduate & Continuing Education
UAB Department of Psychology profile
The Cognition, Brain, and Autism (CBrA) Lab
Scholars@UAB profile
Dr. Kana is Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean for Graduate and Continuing Education in the College of Arts and Sciences at UAB. He studies the neurobiology of developmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder using human neuroimaging methods. Dr. Kana’s lab focuses on uncovering the neuroscience of social cognition and language processing in neurotypical and autistic individuals. He also serves as an Advisory Board member for the Roadmap Scholars Program. As a career coach, Dr. Kana brings experience in grantsmanship, mentoring, teaching, and administrative aspects of academia. He is eager to help the next generation of student scientists. -
Annesha King, Ph.D.
Annesha King, Ph.D.
UAB IRACDA-MERIT Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biology
Dr. Annesha King received her BS in Biology from the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) and her Ph.D in Neurobiology from the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB). She joined the UAB IRACDA-MERIT Postdoctoral Scholars program in September 2021 to gain the training necessary to further develop her teaching, technical skills, and critical thinking, all of which are important for a successful future career as a professor. Dr. King is currently under the mentorship of Dr. Nicole Riddle, whose research lab focuses on epigenetics, chromatin, and exercise Biology in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly). Dr. King's projects aim to: 1) determine if HP1a, HP1B, and HP1C form dimers at common binding sites and to elucidate whether there is a preference for hetero- or homodimerization and 2) investigate the importance of HP1 function in the genome by locating and mapping these various DNA interactions. Dr. King is the current secretary and co-chair of professional development in the UAB Black Postdoctoral Association (BPDA). She was teaching at Oakwood University under the guidance of her teaching mentor, Dr. Melissa Richardson. She has taught at UAB and teaching currently at Samford University. When she is not in lab, you can find her hiking, exploring new restaurants, watching horror or anime shows, and gardening. -
David Knight, Ph.D.
David Knight, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Psychology
Director, Behavioral Neuroscience Program
Department of Psychology profile
Scholars@UAB profile -
Suzanne Lapi, Ph.D.
Suzanne Lapi, Ph.D.
Vice Chair of Translational Research & Professor, Department of Radiology
Department of Pathology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
Lapi Lab website -
Maria Lechtreck, Ph.D.
Maria Lechtreck, Ph.D.
Teaching Assistant Professor, Psychology
UMN Faculty profile
Website
Dr. Maria Lechtreck received a PhD in Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2022 and is an alumnus of the Roadmap Scholars Program. Her dissertation was a driving simulator study investigating driving anger in persons with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). During graduate school she also completed a comprehensive array of certificates in teaching and learning, including pedagogy, online teaching, mentoring, accessibility, diversity, technology, and student mental health. She is currently a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at University of Minnesota Duluth. In her free time, she enjoys nature and the outdoors, museums, and non-fiction reading. -
Samantha Martin, Ph.D.
Samantha Martin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Maternal & Fetal Medicine
Scholars@UAB profile
Dr. Samantha Martin earned her B.S. from Mississippi Valley State University in 2011 and her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2017. Her primary research interest focuses on identifying mechanisms during pregnancy that promote the progression of cardiovascular disease, with a goal of improving maternal-child health. A specific focus on maternal-fetal exposures, lipid metabolism, hypertensive populations, child outcomes, and social determinants of health characterize her work. -
Jose O. Maximo, PhD
Jose O. Maximo, PhD
Scientist, UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology
Google Scholar profile
Dr. Jose O. Maximo, a California native, graduated from San Diego State University (SDSU) with a B.A.& Sc. in Psychology. While at SDSU, he was under the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) research training program, which main goal is to develop a diverse pool of scientists earning a Ph.D. and increase the number of underrepresented people in science. He then moved to Birmingham, AL. to complete his M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology with a concentration in Developmental Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. While at UAB, Dr. Maximo was involved in serving as a mentor for students, a judge for several conferences, and a speaker for talks to undergraduate students. He was part of the Neuroscience Roadmap Scholar programs, which seeks to provide the necessary tools for underrepresented graduate students to succeed in science. He was also active in the community by serving as a science advocate to K-12 students during Brain Awareness Week and other events. Dr. Maximo graduated in the Fall of 2018 and started a postdoctoral position in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology at UAB. His research examined the neural correlates of first episode psychosis (FEP) patients using various neuroimaging techniques such as functional, structural, spectroscopy, and diffusion weighted imaging. After his postdoctoral training, he secured a scientist position in the same department and continues his research in FEP. -
Tanecia Mitchell, Ph.D.
Tanecia Mitchell, Ph.D.
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Lucas Pozzo-Miller, Ph.D.
Lucas Pozzo-Miller, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Department of Neurobiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
One of my goals as a faculty mentor is to support and encourage young neuroscientists from disadvantaged groups to excel in our programs to prepare them for successful job placement after graduation. I am convinced that all our labs will benefit from the different perspectives that graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, and faculty from diverse life backgrounds bring to our teams, as much as approaching a scientific question from different technical and conceptual perspectives does. I am convinced that the most important contribution and scientific legacy is to prepare the next generation of scientists, much more than any research article archived in PubMed.
I am a naturalized US citizen born and raised in Argentina, where I completed my university studies in Biology (MS 1986) and earned a Doctorate in Biology (PhD 1989), both from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. My father, a son of Italian immigrants, grew up in a farm in the Argentinean pampas and had to drop out of elementary school after the 6th grade to work full-time in the family farm. He was a self-taught accountant in the local agricultural cooperative, rising through the ranks in the national association of agricultural cooperatives of Argentina. He continued to work until his retirement, mostly as a consultant in small town agricultural cooperatives throughout the country. My mother, a daughter of English immigrants, first studied, and then worked as an elementary school teacher in the same small town of the Argentinean pampas where she met my father, and continued to work as a teacher until her retirement. My three brothers and I were the first in my family to attend University, with two accountants and one architect.
My point in relating this personal story is that I recognized early on that there are many ways to achieve success coming from a disadvantaged background, and that’s why it is important to provide career opportunities for students of disadvantaged groups, especially foreigners that have the additional burden of overcoming language and cultural barriers when moving to the USA. Therefore, training individuals from abroad and minoritized (under-represented) groups in science and technology has been a career-long emphasis of mine. The 53 trainees at different levels that I have mentored include 2 African American women, 14 foreigners, and 22 women. I have served as Career Coach for two students in the RMS program that successfully completed their PhD, and currently coach two RMS students. -
Stefanie Robel, Ph.D.
Stefanie Robel, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Cell, Integrative and Developmental Biology
Scholars@UAB profile
Robel Lab website -
Glenn Rowe, Ph.D.
Glenn Rowe, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine - Cardiovascular Disease
Scholars@UAB profile
Rowe Lab website -
Kirsten Schoonover, Ph.D.
Kirsten Schoonover, Ph.D.
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Brian Sims, M.D., Ph.D.
Brian Sims, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Department of Pediatrics profile
Scholars@UAB profile
SOM Office for Diversity and Inclusion profile -
Lawrence Sincich, Ph.D.
Lawrence Sincich, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Optometry & Vision Science
School of Optometry profile
Scholars@UAB profile
Dr. Sincich studies the neurobiology of the early visual system in humans and primates. He is currently Program Director for the Vision Science Graduate Program in the School of Optometry, Director of the VSRC Machine Shop, and also serves as an Advisory Board member for the Roadmap Scholars Program. His relevant training experience includes grantsmanship, reading disorders, physical handicaps and mental health issues. -
Rachel June Smith, Ph.D.
Rachel June Smith, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering profile
The Neural Signal Processing and Modeling Lab -
David Standaert, M.D., Ph.D.
David Standaert, M.D., Ph.D.
John N. Whitaker Endowed Professor and Chair, Department of Neurology
Department of Neurology profile
Scholars@UAB profile -
HaoSheng Sun, Ph.D.
HaoSheng Sun, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell, Integrative and Developmental Biology
Scholars@UAB profile
Sun Lab website
I received my PhD in Neuroscience in 2014 in the laboratory of Dr. Eric Nestler at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where I studied how chronic exposure adverse environmental stimuli such as stress or drugs of abuse led to long term transcriptional and chromatin changes that disrupt normal reward circuitry. I then went on to complete my postdoctoral training with Dr. Oliver Hobert, where using the model organism C. elegans, I examined the transcriptional programs that underlie the temporal maturation of post-mitotic nervous system during post-embryonic development. I established the Sun Lab at UAB in Oct 2021. The long-term goal of my research program is to understand how adverse gene-environment interaction impacts nervous system development and function and its implications in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. As an LGBTQ+ immigrant growing up in Canada, I recognize the important roles that opportunity and the fantastic mentorships I received throughout my scientific training played to allow me to pursue my dream career of academic research. I hope to pay this forward to the next generation of science trainees by establishing an inclusive and fun lab environment where rigorous science is conducted. -
Daniel Tyrrell, Ph.D.
Daniel Tyrrell, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology
Scholars@UAB profile
Tyrrell Lab website
I am from a small town in Michigan, and I am the first person in my family to pursue a PhD. I took a somewhat unorthodox journey to get to graduate school. I attended a community college for 2 years, then completed my Bachelors at 4-year university. I wanted to go to graduate school, but I didn’t have very good guidance on how to navigate applying for grad school or what would be required during graduate school. I found my way through it with help from others, and I am passionate about helping others in a similar position as me. The RMS program is one of a kind, and I am happy to help others through RMS if I can. -
Kristina Visscher, Ph.D.
Kristina Visscher, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Co-director, Civitan International Neuroimaging Laboratory
Department of Neurobiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
Visscher Lab website -
Laura Volpicelli-Daley, Ph.D.
Laura Volpicelli-Daley, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology
Department of Neurology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
Volpicelli-Daley Lab website
I love collaborating with scientists and colleagues in academia, industry, and foundations who all have the same goal of curing Parkinson’s disease and DLB. I am lucky to have awesome trainees, and am passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists. One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is seeing my students achieve their dreams. I also love being a soccer/cross country/robotics mom, sarcastic humor, and nerdy science memes. I am a proud Ravenclaw. -
Jacques Wadiche, Ph.D.
Jacques Wadiche, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Department of Neurobiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
Wadiche Labs website
Dr. Wadiche is originally from São Paulo Brazil, and is the first generation within his family to earn a college and post-graduate education. His research is focused on fundamental mechanisms of synaptic transmission as well as collaborative work on neurons within the dentate gyrus, a brain region with continued neurogenesis into adulthood. Outside of the lab, Dr. Wadiche enjoys watching his son play soccer and travel in his van. As a Career Coach, Dr. Wadiche brings a different background that is not easily represented and he is happy to impart that experience with students. -
Linda Wadiche, Ph.D.
Linda Wadiche, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Department of Neurobiology profile
Scholars@UAB profile
Wadiche Labs website -
Steven Wilson, M.Ed., M.A., ALC
Steven Wilson, M.Ed., M.A., ALC
Clinical Counselor Associate, Division of Student Affairs, Student Counseling Services
Office of Student Counseling Services
Hi there! I’m Steven, a career coach with a passion for helping students thrive both personally and professionally. With over 20 years of experience in education, counseling, and leadership, I’ve had the privilege of guiding many individuals toward their career goals. Outside of coaching, I find balance through music, whether it’s memories with family, performing with my bands or watching competition reality shows. I believe in the power of self-care and creativity to fuel success, and I’m excited to help you discover your own path to fulfillment. Together, we’ll focus on building your skills, expanding your network, and aligning your passions with your career aspirations! -
Jianhua Zhang, Ph.D.
Jianhua Zhang, Ph.D.