UAB becomes first Alabama university to join elite research group

NewsThe University of Alabama at Birmingham has joined the Association of American Universities, becoming the organization’s first member in Alabama. (Courtesy of UAB)UABBy Michaela Yielding | myielding@al.comThe University of Alabama at Birmingham has joined the Association of American Universities, becoming the first and only university in Alabama to gain membership in the prestigious organization.UAB accepted an invitation to join the association alongside Georgetown University, bringing the AAU’s membership to 73 universities in the United States and Canada.Founded in 1900, the AAU represents leading research universities, with membership based on several measures evaluating the quality and breadth of an institution’s research and education. Other universities in the association include Duke University, Emory University, Vanderbilt University, the University of Florida, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University.“Being asked to join the AAU is an honor that recognizes the great work and results driven by UAB’s talented faculty and staff, the support of our public and private partners, and the unwavering dedication of the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees,” UAB President Ray Watts said.UAB’s research spending has grown significantly in recent years. Since Watts became president in 2013, the university said its annual research expenditures have increased from $379 million to more than $915 million.The university also pointed to its standing in federal research funding. According to rankings from the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, the School of Health Professions ranked No. 9 nationally for National Institutes of Health funding, followed by the School of Nursing at No. 11, School of Dentistry at No. 15 and Heersink School of Medicine at No. 28.“UAB’s commitment to advancing scholarship, research and innovation has fueled remarkable growth in our capabilities and generated meaningful impact across the institution, throughout Alabama and far beyond,” said David Standaert, a researcher and clinical neurologist who served 15 years as chair of the UAB Department of Neurology. Standaert became UAB’s vice president for research in October.“The progress we have achieved would have been difficult to imagine when I joined UAB 20 years ago,” Standaert said. “The AAU represents America’s premier research universities, and UAB has the foundation, talent and momentum to compete at the highest level. We look forward to helping build a brighter future through discovery, innovation and collaboration.”UAB employs more than 37,000 people across the university and UAB Health System, making it one of Alabama’s largest employers. The university offers more than 180 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, professional and online degree programs and has enrolled its largest-ever freshman class in two consecutive years.AAU President Barbara Snyder said the organization welcomed UAB and Georgetown because of their contributions to higher education, research and innovation.“We look forward to working together with both of them to continue advancing and improving higher education and driving the critical American university research and innovation behind the breakthroughs that strengthen the U.S. economy,” Snyder said.Michaela Yielding is a Birmingham native who covers data, education and more for AL.com. She is a 2025 graduate from Auburn University with a bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in political science. She has...