Student facilities
To support its transition from a historically commuter-focused campus to a residential institution, the university expanded its student-centered infrastructure along the University Boulevard and Campus Green corridors. These facilities include:
Hill Student Center: Opened in 2015 to replace the 1983 Hill University Center, this 162,000-square-foot facility serves as the central administrative and social hub for the student body. The building houses student organization offices, the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA), multi-purpose meeting spaces, a 250-seat theater, the university bookstore, and campus dining options.
Campus Recreation Center: Opened in 2005, this 152,000-square-foot, three-story facility is located on the northeast side of the Campus Green. It features a two-story fitness floor, four basketball/volleyball courts, an aquatics center with a lap pool, a five-story climbing wall, and four fitness studios.
Student Activity Building: Opened in September 2024 at the corner of 14th Street South and 11th Avenue South, this 12,790-square-foot facility provides dedicated meeting and event space for registered student organizations, fraternities, and sororities. The single-story building features a large divisible assembly room with a capacity of 280, four smaller individual assembly rooms, a catering kitchen, and dedicated workspace for student leadership.
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Research Expenditures
UAB received more than $715 million in research grants and extramural awards for FY 2022.
Research and economic impact
In 2023, UAB invested $780 million in research expenditures. Funding has increased by $351 million, or 82%, over the previous ten years. In terms of all federal research expenditures, UAB is ranked 21st among public institutions and first in the state. It also ranks in the top four percent of public universities and the top one percent of all organizations for NIH funding in FY23. In addition, UAB's six health-related schools including the Heersink School of Medicine rank among the top 20 public universities in terms of NIH funding for FY 2023. Additionally, UAB obtained unprecedented funding from organizations including the Department of Defense, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Energy, as well as for clinical trials funded by the industry. It is creating novel treatments for the most debilitating diseases that affect humans, such as diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease; developing new materials for everything from stronger military equipment to bio-coatings for cardiac stents; fighting cybercrime committed worldwide via computers in a unique cyber forensics center in partnership with the FBI, Homeland Security, and corporate partners like Facebook and Google; and making important strides in climatology, marine biology, and medicine in remote areas of Antarctica.
The O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is established in 1971, is the only NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the state of Alabama and the surrounding area to receive this designation from the National Cancer Institute, and one of only 56 such centers nationwide. For 48 years, the center has been continuously funded, enabling it to conduct state-of-the-art cancer research and provide patient care in the four-state area.
The Engineering and Innovative Technology Development division has been the major developer and supplier of cryo-equipment for the International Space Station since 1990. It has also supported the development of specialized research instruments for land and microgravity-based research experiments.
The Bill L. Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HIIE), established in 2014, housed at the Collat School of Business aims to promote economic growth, facilitate the commercialization of research, and assist in the formation of businesses. The institution has employed a multifaceted approach to foster innovation in the living sciences, with a special focus on biotechnology, and has assisted in the creation of startups.
Economic impact
In 2022, UAB contributed $12.1 billion to Alabama's economy, up 41% from $7.15 billion in 2016. More than $371 million in state and local taxes were produced by UAB, which also maintained or supported 107,600 employments in Alabama. More than $115.4 million in community impact is produced by UAB academics, staff, and students through donations and volunteer work to nearby NGOs. Furthermore, the UAB Health System provides charitable care worth about $363.1 million to underprivileged communities in Birmingham and around the state.
