AnnuAl RepoRt - University of Alabama at Birmingham

ecause of two exceptional transportation research
leaders: Dock Burke, Director of the Southwest Region
University Transportation Center and Dr. Melissa Tooley,
Director of the University Transportation Center for
Mobility. Through them, I’ve been able to experience a
“world class” transportation research environment. The
folks at Texas have raised a very high bar; a standard of
excellence that, in my opinion, should be pursued by all
the rest of us.
There are four other people,
closer to home, who have inked
themselves, indelibly, into my
consciousness and into my heart
because of risks they willingly
took when we were little more
than an idea; and, sacrifices
they’ve willingly made to
ensure our survival when times
Senator RICHARD Shelby
and challenges have been
tough… like lately. Former
Dean of Medicine, Dr. Jim Pittman; former Chair of
Medicine, Dr. Bill Koopman , Dr. Lou Bridges, current
Director of the Division of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology
and Alabama’s Senior Senator Senator Richard
Shelby. Without these four key people, it is likely … in
fact it is probable, that there would be no UTC at UAB.
There are two other people – special people - whose
mention I have purposefully saved until the end.
First is my long-time friend, advisor and colleague,
Dr. Jay Goldman who retired to
Emeritus status this past year. Jay is
Dean Emeritus of the UAB School
of Engineering. For us here on the
“other side of campus” Dr. Goldman
served as an Associate Director for
both the ICRC and the UTC and as
Assistant Director and Co-Principal
Investigator for the Southern Consortium
for Injury Biomechanics (SCIB).
He served, also, as the UAB UTC liaison to the UAB
School of Engineering, the SCIB and the University
dr. Jay goldman
Transportation Center of Alabama. Jay is a member of
the American Society for Engineering Education and a
life member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, the
National Society of Professional Engineers, and several
other organizations; and, he has held membership on
many federal, state, and university advisory panels and
study sections. But, for me personally, he was and always
will be “just Jay” … a good person who helped, guided
and advised me in the early days, when I needed it most.
Jay Goldman, a man with a quiet demeanor and a sense of
humor just “weird enough” to make him appreciate mine.
IOW, he invariably “got” and laughed at my jokes; even
the ones told poorly. Thanks for that, Jay. Since the
mid-1980s Jay and I have shared many smiles. Without
question, it has been my good fortune to have worked
with this very unique, talented man. We miss his involvement
in the things we are doing now, but if anyone has
ever paid their professional dues in full and earned a
wonderful retirement, it is Jay Goldman.
And finally, the most difficult “people part” of this past
year was losing my Assistant of twenty years – Gail
Hardin. Because of a lengthy, life-threatening illness,
Gail was forced into a medical / disability retirement in
March. With no disrespect to the wonderful young woman,
Crystal Franklin, who now occupies her space, but not
“her place” I still find myself whirling in my chair from
time to time, looking through the door that connected our
offices … and almost speaking her name. Some time ago,
I jotted down a few thoughts about Gail – the person –
and how much she grew to mean to me and all the others
who worked with us, over the years:
“Little did I dream, that day in 1990, when she
showed up in a small space I was sharing with
my young graduate student helper (who has
since become Senior Associate Dean for
Administration in the School of Medicine),
that I had just encountered the Center’s
eventual institutional memory bank,
psychological lynch-pin, Mother-In-Residence
and the sister for whom I had always longed.”
I remember my late Father describing the most
important quality of a drummer in a small ensemble.
A professional musician before becoming a physician,
Dad used to say “you never hear a good drummer; you
feel him. They’re just there.” Gail was and is a great
drummer.
For all of those mentioned here, by name, as well as all
the others who could have been and probably should have
been, Thank You. Thank you for your humanity and thank
you for being part of this Center’s history and heart.
Dr. Russ Fine
UAB UTC Director
mrs. gail hardin
DIRECTOR’S NOTE 3