October 3, 2008

Claire Peel, Ph.D., PT, FAPTA, has been named Associate Provost for Faculty Development and Faculty Affairs, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She has been the interim associate provost since November 2006.

"When I asked Dr. Peel to take on this role as the interim associate provost, she immediately accepted the responsibilities and has provided our faculty with opportunities for their professional growth," said Eli Capilouto, DMD, ScD, MPH, UAB provost. "Dr. Peel brings a deep commitment to providing a user-friendly office to serving schools, departments and faculty.  She has demonstrated this in many ways, including introducing the BLAZE leadership academy, continuing the success of the NSF-funded ADVANCE grant to better recruit and retain female faculty, and developing new family-friendly faculty policies. I look forward to working with her as we continue to generate programs to enhance the careers of our faculty."

Peel joined UAB's department of physical therapy in the School of Health Professions in 1996. She has served as assistant dean for the school, as well as interim chair for the department of critical care within the school before being named associate dean for academic and student affairs for the school. She also has an appointment with the UAB Center for Aging.

Prior to coming to UAB, Peel was on the faculty at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock.

Peel earned her bachelor of science degree in biology from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. She then went to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston to earn a certificate in Physical Therapy. She earned her master of science degree in physical therapy from the University of Southern California before earning her doctorate in physical education from the University of Iowa.