Our excellent faculty wants to meet you. The true strength of our program lies in the flexibility and creativity of our professors and the opportunities that they afford our students. As always, the faculty welcomes your inquiries and suggestions. Please feel free to email any of our outstanding faculty members.

department chair

Angelia Paschal (The Kent State University). Associate Professor and Interim Chair, Department of Health Science, UA

doctoral program coordinator

David Birch (Penn State University). Professor, Department of Health Science, UA

UA Program faculty

Lori Turner (The University of Alabama). Professor, Department of Health Science, UA, Osteoporosis Prevention, Nutrition

Adam P. Knowlden (The University of Cincinnati). Assistant Professor, Department of Health Science, UA, Childhood Obesity, Unintentional Injuries from Inadequate Sleep

Deidre Leaver-Dunn (The University of Alabama). Associate Professor, Department of Health Science, UA, Athletic Training, Sports Medicine, Professional Preparation, Adolescent Health

Joyce E. Nickelson (The University of South Florida). Associate Professor, Department of Health Science, UA, Obesity Prevention

​Stuart Usdan (The University of Alabama-Birmingham). Professor, Department of Health Science, UA, Dean, College of Human Environmental Sciences, UA, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, College Health

uab program faculty

For a list of UAB Program Faculty, please see the PhD Student Handbook.