Welcome from the Interim Dean

Welcome to the UAB Graduate School! It is my pleasure to welcome you to a community dedicated to discovery, innovation, scholarship, and professional growth. Graduate education is at the heart of UAB’s mission as a leading academic health center and research university. As a graduate student here, you are joining a vibrant and diverse academic community where your ideas, curiosity, and contributions truly matter.

Graduate education is an exciting journey—one that will challenge you to think deeply, explore new possibilities, and develop the knowledge and skills to make meaningful contributions to your field and to society. Along the way, you will have unique opportunities to learn from outstanding faculty, collaborate across disciplines, conduct impactful research, and build professional connections that will last throughout your career.

At the UAB Graduate School, we are deeply committed to supporting you throughout this journey. Our core priorities are straightforward:

• Student Success & Academic Excellence
• Research & Innovation
• Strong Faculty Mentorship
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration

We recognize that graduate education is both rewarding and demanding, and we are here to help you navigate every opportunity and challenge ahead. Because your success is central to our mission, we encourage you to take full advantage of the resources, communities, and experiences available to you.

Your presence strengthens our university, and we look forward to the contributions you will make to UAB and beyond. We are delighted to have you as part of our community, and I wish you a fulfilling and successful graduate experience. I am excited about what we can accomplish together.

Rajesh Kana, Ph.D.
Interim Dean of the Graduate School