Media contact: Brianna Hoge
Sylvie Mrug, Ph.D.,
Sylvie Mrug, Ph.D.
Photography: Lexi Coon University Professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Psychology, has been named the 2021 winner of the Ireland Prize for Scholarly Distinction.
The award recognizes a UAB College of Arts and Sciences faculty member who has demonstrated notable achievements in their field and demonstrated talents that contribute to the elevation of the arts and sciences at UAB and in the Birmingham community.
“Dr. Mrug is an amazing and prolific scientist whose research addresses the public health crises of our time such as obesity, bullying and violence,” said Kecia M. Thomas, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Her focus on adolescents has the potential to transform the health of the next generation of adults and resolve persistent racial disparities in health outcomes.”
Mrug has won numerous awards at UAB, including the Graduate Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentorship and the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Also, she was recently named University Professor for her exceptional scholarly achievements.
Along with her valuable teaching, service and research contributions to the Department of Psychology, Mrug also led the department for four years.
Mrug served as interim chair from 2017-2018, then became chair in 2018 and served in that role until August 2021.
Mrug exercises a deep commitment to supporting her students and their research. During her time at UAB, she has mentored dozens of students and chaired or co-chaired 21 doctoral dissertations. Also, numerous students and trainees have served as co-authors on her extensive peer-reviewed research.
Throughout her career, Mrug has accomplished extraordinary feats through her research and interdisciplinary partnerships. She has co-authored over 200 conference presentations, published 123 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and served –or is serving– as principal investigator on 14 grants.
In 2021, she received a $2.8 million R01 grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities in which she will study whether adverse life experiences affect health and health disparities through the epigenetic process called DNA methylation. This research may lead to new measures that will improve public health and reduce health disparities.
“Beyond her research, Sylvie is an incredible teacher and generous mentor and colleague who has effectively led her department while continuing to invest in the next generation of psychological scientists,” Thomas said. “As a psychologist myself, I am extremely proud to count Sylvie as a colleague and role model.”
Alongside her responsibilities at UAB, Mrug also serves on the editorial boards for two peer-reviewed journals—including the Journal of Youth and Adolescence—and reviews grants for a wide-range of national and international organizations and agencies, including the National Institutes of Health.
In 2022, the College of Arts and Sciences will host a reception for Mrug to celebrate her Ireland Prize for Scholarly Distinction. “I am deeply honored by this recognition and would like to thank the Ireland family for their generosity, and my colleagues and students for their contributions to our research,” Mrug said.
Charles W. Ireland and his wife Caroline P. Ireland established the Caroline P. and Charles W. Ireland Endowment for Scholarly Distinction, which funds two annual prizes. One of the two prizes — the Ireland Prize for Scholarly Distinction — is awarded annually to a full-time, regular College of Arts and Sciences faculty member who has demonstrated notable achievements in their field of the arts and sciences, gained national and/or international recognition of peers, and demonstrated talents that contribute to the elevation of the arts and sciences at UAB and in the Birmingham community.