Five faculty members have been named distinguished professors by the board of trustees of the University of Alabama System.
Distinguished professorships are among the highest honors in the University of Alabama System. They recognize “extraordinary scholarly, creative and teaching achievements that bring significant prestige to the university. Honorees are selected through a rigorous nomination process that includes input from national experts, University of Alabama peers and former students.”
Three of the new distinguished professors are women.
Mercy Mumba was named a Distinguished Research Professor in the Capstone College of Nursing. She is the founding director of the Center for Substance Use Research and Related Conditions at the university. Her work addresses critical public health challenges with an emphasis on substance use, addiction, and mental health research. Dr. Mumba holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a Ph.D. in nursing science research and education from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Anna Embree was appointed a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the College of Communication and Information Sciences. Professor Embree is known nationally and internationally for her outstanding contributions to the teaching of book arts. She teaches bookbinding and book structures in the master of fine arts degree program in book arts at the School of Library and Information Studies. Professor Embree is a graduate of the University of Iowa, where she majored in art and art history. She holds a master’s degree in clothing and textiles from Iowa State University.
Kim Severt was named a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the College of Human Environmental Sciences. She is the director of the hospitality management program at the university. She joined the University of Alabama faculty in 2012. Earlier, she taught at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Severt is a graduate of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, where she majored in management. She holds a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University and a Ph.D. in hospitality management from Oklahoma State University.