Apr 1, 2026
- Micah J. Drummond, PhD, professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, selected from a highly competitive pool
- Award recognizes sustained excellence in mentoring students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty across disciplines
- Dr. Drummond will be honored at University Commencement and recognized at the college’s convocation ceremony
Micah J. Drummond, PhD, professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training in the College of Health, has been selected as one of this year’s University Distinguished Mentors. Chosen from a highly competitive pool of nominees, the award recognizes faculty members whose mentorship demonstrates sustained excellence, leadership, and transformative impact on student and trainee success.
Distinguished Mentor awardees are formally recognized during the University’s general commencement ceremony. In addition, a commemorative plaque will be presented to Dr. Drummond at the college’s convocation ceremony, allowing colleagues, students, and trainees to celebrate his achievements and lasting influence on the academic community.
Dr. Drummond is widely recognized for creating mentoring environments that are both intellectually rigorous and deeply supportive. He provides individualized, relationship-centered mentorship that emphasizes scientific independence, career development, and professional growth. Since joining the University of Utah in 2011, he has served as a primary mentor to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, medical students, undergraduates, and junior faculty, while also contributing extensively as a dissertation committee member and institutional mentor.
A national leader in skeletal muscle biology and aging research, Dr. Drummond has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed publications and serves as principal investigator or multi–principal investigator on multiple active NIH R01 grants. His mentoring philosophy integrates trainees fully into all aspects of the research process, including study design, data interpretation, manuscript development, and grantsmanship. Notably, the vast majority of his publications include trainees as first or co-authors, and his mentees have consistently secured competitive federal funding and advanced into successful careers across academia, industry, clinical practice, and translational science.
Beyond individual mentorship, Dr. Drummond has demonstrated exceptional leadership at the program and institutional levels. He currently serves as Director of Graduate Studies for the Rehabilitation Sciences PhD program and as a VPCAT Senior Faculty Mentor, roles through which he advocates for trainee success, improved funding and recognition structures, and expanded access to high-quality mentorship. His efforts have strengthened mentorship culture across departments and contributed to a more supportive training environment for students and scholars at every stage.