27 November 2024

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Fillingim Inducted into the ASEMFL

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University of Florida College of Dentistry Associate Dean of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, Roger Fillingim, Ph.D., will be inducted into the prestigious Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida, or ASEMFL, highlighting a career in world-renowned pain research, honoring his substantial advancement of the understanding of individuals’ differences in pain, and recognizing his outstanding service and leadership both locally and nationally.

It’s a fitting accolade for a highly respected scientist, whose track record at the University of Florida – and as a leader in his profession – have put him on a pedestal as an internationally known expert, leader and scientist. Inductees into the Academy represent some of the most distinguished and impactful researchers and professionals in the nation.

What the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine is to the nation, ASEMFL is for the state of Florida. Fillingim will be among a record 20 inductees and will be inducted alongside five fellow University of Florida faculty, all with significant contributions in areas that range from using novel treatments to improve heart disease outcomes to translating basic biological discoveries into longer lifespans.

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate the induction of these distinguished faculty members into the Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of Florida, ” said Joe Glover, UF’s interim provost. “Their groundbreaking work not only enhances our understanding of critical health challenges, agricultural innovation, and the basic sciences but also exemplifies the University of Florida’s commitment to advancing knowledge and improving lives. This recognition underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the impactful contributions our faculty make to society.”

After two decades of service to UF and the UF College of Dentistry, Fillingim was appointed Associate Dean of Planning and Institutional Development at the college in February of 2024, an administrative role focusing on assessment, evaluation of outcomes, strategic planning, data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement. Fillingim’s wealth of experience in data collection and interpretation has been paramount, according to Dean A. Isabel Garcia, D.D.S., M.P.H., both of which play a critical role in the college’s ability to evaluate the strength of its educational, research and clinical care missions to identify where enhancements are needed.

Fillingim joined the College of Dentistry in 2000 and is a distinguished professor in the Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science. He is the director of UF’s Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, or PRICE, a multi-college center of excellence that serves as the professional home for UF scientists, clinicians and trainees dedicated to improved understanding and treatment of pain. PRICE is supported by the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute and collaborates closely with the UF Institute on Aging and the UF Health Cancer Center.

In 2020, he received a University of Florida Foundation Term Professorship Award created to invest in the research endeavors of UF faculty members whose work is transforming lives. Fillingim is especially passionate about mentoring. He leads the UF Mentor Academy, established in 2013 to provide training in best mentoring practices for UF faculty who mentor students, postgraduate trainees and early career faculty. The Mentor Academy employs an active learning model that encourages participant engagement and experiential learning. The program runs twice a year in the fall and spring semesters. More than 150 UF faculty have completed the Mentor Academy across 10 UF colleges.

From a pain research perspective, his research investigates biological, social and psychological factors that may influence the experience of pain – perhaps the most widespread and expensive health problem in the United States. One major area of focus for Fillingim’s research is how women and men experience pain differently. He served as president of the American Pain Society in 2012-2013 and has been an active leader for many years through multiple leadership roles and, in 2009, he received the APS Wilbert E. Fordyce Clinical Investigator Award for his clinical pain scholarship and research achievements. In 2017, he received a Distinguished Service Award to recognize his outstanding and dedicated service to the society.

Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida Induction

Fillingim, alongside 19 other inductees from the state of Florida, will officially be inducted to the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida November 1-2, 2024, at the Academy’s annual meeting during a special ceremony at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management in Orlando.

New members are among the top scholars, experts and entrepreneurs in the fields of science, engineering and medicine who live and/or work in the State of Florida. They are considered for their potential to be inducted into the National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine.

With the addition of this year’s record 20 inductees, the total membership of ASEMFL nears 250.

Source: https://dental.ufl.edu/