Dr. Sharlene Newman, executive director of the Alabama Life Research Institute and professor of psychology, has been inducted into to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering’s College of Fellows.
Election to the AIMBE College of Fellows is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to medical and biological engineers, comprised of the top two percent of engineers in these fields. College membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to “engineering and medicine research, practice, or education” and to “the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of medical and biological engineering or developing/implementing innovative approaches to bioengineering education.”
Newman was nominated, reviewed, and elected by peers and members of the College of Fellows “for distinguished contributions to the field of neuroscience, particularly for the use of magnetic resonance to understand the human brain.”
A cognitive neuroscientist and biomedical engineer, Newman specializes in using magnetic resonance imaging to explore human brain function. As one of the first scientists to use neuroimaging to study complex language function, Newman helped to clarify the brain regions involved in sentence comprehension.
Her research also examines other critical areas of brain function, including executive function, concussions, substance use and addiction, and psychopathy. Some of her recent work, for example, explores the brain processes that cause language deficits in schizophrenia to create more effective interventions for patients.
“This recognition reflects the significance of Dr. Newman’s work in engineering and cognitive neuroscience,” said Dr. Bryan Boudouris, vice president for research and economic development. “Her research advances our understanding of the human mind and makes a positive impact on both science and society. We are proud to see her recognized for these outstanding contributions to the field.”
At UA, Newman leads the Alabama Life Research Institute, a university-wide institute that facilitates interdisciplinary life research and fosters collaboration with other academic institutions, industry, government agencies, and community organizations. She is a professor in the Department of Psychology and an adjunct professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Newman’s research has earned her other professional honors, including election to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2022.
She completed a master’s degree and doctorate in biomedical engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham after finishing a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at Vanderbilt University.
A formal induction ceremony was held during the AIMBE Annual Event at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Virginia on March 31, 2025. Newman was inducted along with 171 colleagues who make up the AIMBE College of Fellows Class of 2025.
While most AIMBE Fellows hail from the United States, the College of Fellows has inducted Fellows representing more than 30 countries. AIMBE Fellows are employed in academia, industry, clinical practice, and government.
AIMBE Fellows are among the most distinguished medical and biological engineers including four Nobel Prize laureates and 27 Presidential Medal of Science and/or Technology and Innovation awardees. Additionally, 233 Fellows have been inducted to the National Academy of Engineering, 120 inducted to the National Academy of Medicine, and 51 inducted to the National Academy of Sciences.