University of Alabama Appoints Four Women Scholars to Distinguished Professorships

Hee Lee has been granted the title of Distinguished Research Professor in the School of Social Work. A University of Alabama faculty member for the past six years, she currently serves as the Endowed Academic Chair in Social Work and co-director of the Alabama Center for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. In her work, she leverages technology such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality to promote health behavior change, reduce health disparities in underserved communities, and provide evidence for actionable policies to improve health outcomes.

Dr. Lee received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in home economics from Seoul National University in South Korea. She holds a master’s degree in gerontology from the University of Southern California, as well as a master of social work degree and Ph.D. in social welfare from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Robin Boylorn has been granted the title of Distinguished Research Professor in the College of Communication and Information Sciences. She currently serves as the inaugural Holle Endowed Chair of Communication Arts and founding director of the Holle Center for Communication Arts. Her work centers around the communication and characterization of Black women and families in the southern United States. Outside of her faculty position, she also serves as editor of the journal Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies. 

Dr. Boylorn received her master’s degree in speech communication from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her Ph.D. in communication studies from the University of South Florida.

Catherine Roach has been granted the title of Distinguished Research Professor in the New College of Arts and Sciences. With over two decades of teaching and research experience, she currently serves as a full professor of gender and cultural studies. Her research into American popular culture has led her to authoring several books, including Good Sex: Transforming America Through the New Gender and Sexual Revolution (Indiana University Press, 2022) and Mother/Nature: Popular Culture and Environmental Ethics (Indiana University Press, 2003).

Dr. Roach received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in religious studies from the University of Ottawa in Canada. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D in religion in the modern west from Harvard University.

Claire Howell Major has been granted the title of Distinguished Teaching Professor for the master’s and doctoral programs in higher education administration. In addition to teaching, she serves as director of the University of Alabama Teaching Academy. She has conducted extensive research on faculty work, pedagogical approaches, and technology for teaching and online learning. She has published several books including Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty (Jossey-Bass, 2020).

Dr. Major received her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia’s Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education.