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| Errol D. Crook, M.D., speaks at a Med School Café lecture. |
The award, named in honor of scientist and educator Wright Gardner, was established by the Alabama Academy of Science in 1984 to recognize the outstanding scientific contributions of Alabama residents.
“I am incredibly honored to be selected, but most of all I am humbled,” Crook said. “While my name is on the plaque, this was truly a team effort and an honor I share with all of my colleagues with whom I have worked in the Center for Healthy Communities (CHC) since my arrival in 2005. We are all committed to a community-engaged approach to our scholarship and advocacy, and we all continue to learn from each other and our community partners.”
“I sincerely thank all of my mentors and collaborators, and I especially thank Dr. Jack Shelley-Tremblay for thinking of me,” Crook added.
Shelley-Tremblay, professor and chair of psychology at USA, is president-elect of the Alabama Academy of Science and presented Crook with the award.
“Over the last 15 years, I have been continually impressed with Dr. Crook’s dedication to the students, patients, and other citizens of the State of Alabama,” Shelley-Tremblay said. “He is an accomplished research scientist, active physician, center administrator and clinical educator. I never know how he has the time to accomplish all of the things that he does.”
Crook also delivered the keynote address at the meeting, “From Bench to Community: Understanding Health Disparities Before, During and After COVID-19.” In his talk, he highlighted the work of his colleagues: Martha Arrieta, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of internal medicine, director of research and associate director of the CHC; Roma Hanks, Ph.D., professor and chair of sociology, anthropology, and social work, and director of community engagement at the CHC; and Ken Hudson, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology.
The academy’s annual meeting was held in conjunction with the Alabama Junior Academy of Science and the Gorgas Scholarship Competition. Crook took the opportunity to address the high school students in the virtual audience.
“I used the transitions in my career from a molecular biologist performing research focused on understanding the molecular mechanism in diabetes and its complications, to clinical research, to research on the social determinants of health as an example of the many exciting opportunities that are possible with a career in science,” he said.
A native of Monroeville, Ala., Crook received his medical degree from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. He completed residency training in internal medicine, followed by a fellowship in nephrology, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Crook has secured more than $11 million dollars in competitive external funding over three decades from the National Institutes for Health, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, American Heart Association, and industry partners such as Merck Pharmaceuticals.
Learn more about the Alabama Academy of Science.
