4 UK faculty members named 2026-27 SEC Academic Leadership Development Program fellows
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 3, 2026) – Four University of Kentucky faculty members have been selected as 2026-27 fellows in the Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program (SEC-ALDP), a prestigious initiative that prepares emerging academic leaders for leadership roles across higher education.
Each year, the UK Office for Faculty Advancement supports faculty growth and leadership development by promoting opportunities such as the SEC-ALDP. The program recognizes faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, scholarship and education while helping them develop the skills needed to lead increasingly complex organizations and institutions.
The SEC Academic Leadership Development Program includes institution-based leadership development activities, two SEC-wide leadership workshops and opportunities for continued administrative growth through competitive fellowships. Participants collaborate with faculty leaders from SEC institutions while strengthening their leadership skills and expanding professional networks.
The 2026-27 fellows will participate in the SEC Fall Workshop hosted by Louisiana State University and UK will host the SEC Spring Workshop in February.
The 2026-27 University of Kentucky SEC Academic Leadership Development Program fellows are:
Dolphus Dawson, D.M.D., College of Dentistry
Dolphus R. Dawson is professor of periodontics, chair of the Department of Oral Health Practice and director of Graduate Periodontology in the UK College of Dentistry. He also serves as a periodontist with UK HealthCare, specializing in surgical and non-surgical periodontal therapy, dental implants and aesthetic periodontal procedures.
Dawson earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree and completed advanced general dentistry training at the University of Louisville before earning a certificate in periodontology, a master's degree in oral biology and a Master of Public Health from the University of Kentucky.
He has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and is active in national professional organizations. Dawson received the American Academy of Periodontology Educator Award and serves on the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Pearl James, Ph.D., Lewis Honors College
Pearl James is associate dean for academic affairs in the Lewis Honors College and associate professor in the Department of English. Her scholarship examines representations of war in literature, film, visual art and popular culture, drawing on perspectives from literary studies, history, gender studies and visual culture.
James earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and both a master's degree and doctorate in literature from Yale University.
She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in film and literature and has published scholarship on authors including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Willa Cather, as well as contributions to exhibitions exploring World War I and American art. James has received the University of Kentucky Provost's Award for Outstanding Teaching, the UK Alumni Association Great Teacher Award and the Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award.
Brian Noehren, Ph.D., College of Health Sciences
Brian Noehren is associate dean for research and professor in the College of Health Sciences and director of the Human Performance and Biomotion Laboratories. As Associate Dean for Research since 2022, Dr. Noehren has focused on building practical infrastructure to strengthen faculty scholarship, grant development, mentoring, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Noehren earned his physical therapy degree from the University of Connecticut before completing clinical practice and later earning a doctorate from the University of Delaware.
His research combines biomechanics, muscle function and pain response to better understand lower-extremity injury mechanisms and improve patient outcomes.
Meghan Pifer, Ph.D., College of Education
Meghan J. Pifer is professor and chair of the Department of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation in the UK College of Education. Her research focuses on higher education administration, faculty professional development, academic careers and military-connected populations in higher education.
Pifer earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh, a master's degree in higher education administration from Boston University and a doctorate in higher education from Penn State University.
Before joining UK, she served in faculty and leadership roles at the University of Louisville, Penn State University, Lock Haven University and Widener University, and held leadership positions in U.S. Army-funded educator development initiatives. Pifer has authored numerous scholarly publications and co-authored or co-edited several books on faculty development, mentoring and higher education leadership.
Established in 2005, the SEC Academic Consortium advances academic excellence through collaboration among Southeastern Conference universities. Since launching the Academic Leadership Development Program in 2008, the consortium has prepared senior faculty and administrators for leadership roles by strengthening their understanding of higher education, developing leadership skills and fostering collaboration across SEC institutions.
Learn more about the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.