Several faculty members from The University of Texas at San Antonio were recognized for excellence and innovation in health science education at the 2026 Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., Academy of Health Science Innovation Annual Conference.
The Shine Academy fosters excellence in health sciences education by recognizing outstanding educators and advancing innovation in the field. Members represent all University of Texas System health science campuses and a wide range of professions and disciplines. The academy is named in honor of former UT System Executive Vice Chancellor Kenneth I. Shine, MD.
At the conference, which was held Feb. 26-27 in Austin, new members were inducted into the academy, and other outstanding faculty received awards for their projects.
Two UT San Antonio faculty members were selected to be inducted into the academy this year: Kristine Vogel, BA, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy in the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine; and Azizeh K. Sowan, PhD, RN, MSN, MSDA, MBA, FAAN, professor and associate dean for strategic initiatives in the School of Nursing.
Vogel teaches neuroscience and neuroanatomy, and her current research focuses on Neurofibromatosis type 1, a common inherited cancer syndrome. She has been named a UT Distinguished Teaching Professor and received a Presidential Excellence Award for Teaching Excellence in 2014 and 2025. She was recognized as a STAR Educator in 2022.
“I’m honored to be included in a diverse community of health professions educators who are dedicated to developing and implementing creative approaches to teaching. I’m looking forward to sharing ideas and education research projects,” said Vogel about her induction.
When it comes to teaching, Vogel emphasized a mindset of continual growth in the classroom.
“[It’s important] to always be open to feedback and new ideas, and willing to improve or change approaches to facilitate learning,” she said. “Adaptation and creative thinking are important for brain health at all career stages, regardless of whether we’re teaching or learning.”
Sowan is the IBS Foundation Endowed Professor in Nursing Informatics and Administration, and the Thelma and Joe Crow Endowed Professor. In 2025 she was named to the Texas Nurses Association’s 25 Outstanding Texas Nurses list. She is a 2026 Presidential Excellence Awards recipient for Teaching Excellence – Sustained.
“Selection into the Shine Academy represents both a profound honor and a call to action,” Sowan said. “It invites me into a community of educators collectively advancing the future of health professions education and deepens my resolve to bridge education with the evolving demands of healthcare delivery, strengthen the nursing profession and ultimately improve patient outcomes through transformative teaching and leadership.”
Sowan views education as a collaborative partnership where both educator and learner share responsibility for success.
“My approach to education is grounded in learner-centered, evidence-based practice that empowers learners to become adaptive healthcare professionals,” she said. “My role is to provide mentorship, timely feedback and structured guidance tailored to individual strengths and growth areas. My goal is to cultivate competence, intellectual curiosity, adaptability and a commitment to lifelong learning; qualities essential for excellence in healthcare.”
Other faculty members were also recognized at the Shine Academy conference with awards for innovation in health science education.
Kirsten Eom, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in the Kate Marmion School of Public Health; Rogie Royce Carandang, PhD, MPH, MSc, RPh, assistant professor in the Marmion School of Public Health; and Rochelle David, MD, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, were each awarded $5,000 through the Shine Academy’s Health Science Education Small Grants Program. The program is designed to stimulate research and new approaches in health science education.
David Roberts, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, earned second place and received $1,500 through the Judith Drew Innovation in Health Science Education Award, which recognizes individuals who have implemented innovative educational programs with demonstrated impact over the past five years across health science disciplines.
In addition to faculty honors, Gabriella Ward, a fourth-year student in the School of Dentistry, was one of the two student trainees who earned second place in the student poster competition.