Emerging Nurse Researcher/Scholar Award recipients
Meet the Award Recipients
Created in 2015 and revised in 2019, the Emerging Nurse Researcher/Scholar Award recognizes early career nurse researchers and scholars from each of Sigma’s seven global regions whose research or scholarship has influenced the nursing profession and the people it serves. These early career nurse researchers represent all seven of Sigma’s global regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America/Caribbean, Middle East, North America, and Oceania.
Muhammad Chutiyami PhD, RN
Lecturer in Nursing
University of Technology Sydney
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | Oceania RegionDr. Muhammad Chutiyami’s research and professional practice are dedicated to advancing health equity and improving health outcomes among underserved populations globally. His research focuses on global and community health, targeting social determinants of health, behavioral and social drivers of vaccination, and community-engaged health initiatives, with a strong emphasis on addressing health disparities affecting under-resourced communities. His work examines how structural, social, and environmental factors shape health outcomes and influence access to healthcare. Through interdisciplinary research and collaboration with community partners, his work seeks to generate evidence that informs equitable health policies, effective public health interventions, and improved healthcare delivery systems, particularly in underserved and under-resourced settings. His research has contributed to a growing body of evidence highlighting the importance of addressing social determinants of health to reduce health inequalities and strengthen health systems.
In addition to his research contributions, Dr. Chutiyami is actively involved in teaching, mentorship, and academic leadership. He teaches undergraduate and postgraduate nursing students and supervises PhD research projects that aim to address real-world health challenges. He is also engaged in mentoring early-career researchers and health professionals, helping to build research capacity and promote evidence-based practice in healthcare. Dr. Chutiyami maintains an active clinical practice as a registered nurse, which informs his teaching and research by grounding them in the realities of healthcare delivery. His combined experience across clinical practice, research, and education enables him to contribute to the development of innovative, community-focused approaches to healthcare. He is a member of the Xi Omicron at-Large Chapter.
Benjamin Mu-Hsing Ho, PhD, MSc, BSc, RN
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong | Asia Region
Dr. Benjamin Mu-Hsing Ho’s research focuses on cognitive function and neuropsychological assessment across diverse populations, notably in intensive and critical care, cancer care, and aged care. Dr. Ho’s work aims to advance understanding, assessment, and intervention strategies for cognitive dysfunction to enhance patient-centered care and recovery. Dr. Ho has extensively studied ICU delirium and post-ICU cognitive impairment, conditions associated with high morbidity, mortality, and long-term disability. His research in cancer care addresses cancer-related cognitive impairment, identifying its prevalence, predictors, and effects on survivors’ cognition and daily functioning. He leads innovative projects developing mobile-based cognitive assessments and individualized cognitive rehabilitation interventions using self-administered acupressure to deliver accessible, real-time evaluation and care solutions. In aged and gerontological care, he examines dementia, cognitive frailty, health literacy, and decision-making capacity among older adults to enhance shared decision-making.
Beyond research, he serves as an Associate Editor for the journal Intensive and Critical Care Nursing and actively supervises doctoral students. Dr. Ho’s scholarship and leadership continue to shape the integration of cognitive science and nursing, advancing health outcomes and professional excellence worldwide. He is a member of the Lambda Beta-at-Large, Pi Iota at-Large, and Xi Omicron at-Large Chapters.
Oluwabunmi Ogungbe PhD, MPH, RN
Assistant Professor
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
Baltimore, Maryland, USA | North America RegionDr. OluwaBunmi Ogungbe is an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing with a joint appointment at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also serves as Associate Director for Education and Training at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity and as Associate Faculty at the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research. She leads an independent research program at the intersection of cardiovascular health disparities, community-engaged implementation science, precision nutrition, and digital health. Her work focuses on developing and testing multilevel interventions that address the disproportionate burden of hypertension, cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, and related conditions among populations in the United States and globally. As principal investigator, she leads the CROWN study, a cluster-randomized trial testing a beauty salon-based intervention for blood pressure management among women, and the THRIVE, iTHRIVE, and WE-THRIVE Food as Medicine trials, which integrate AI-enhanced messaging, produce prescriptions, and personalized dietitian coaching for adults in food-insecure communities. She is co-investigator on large-scale NIH-funded trials in the US and across Africa.
Dr. Ogungbe has authored several peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals and contributed to practice and policy recommendations. She is a Fellow of the American Heart Association and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, serves on multiple AHA scientific committees, and provides policy consultation to the Maryland Food System Resiliency Council. She is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of nurse scientists focused on improving access to high-quality cardiovascular care, everywhere. She is a member of the Nu Beta at-Large Chapter.
Sharon James, PhD, MPH, Grad Dip OHSN, BN, RN
Research Fellow/Program Manager
Monash University
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Oceania RegionDr. Sharon James is an experienced primary healthcare nurse and is a research fellow at the SPHERE Centre of Research Excellence in Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health in Primary Care (SPHERE CRE) at Monash University, Australia. She focuses on enhancing primary care’s provision of women’s sexual and reproductive health, developing and testing new models of care that better utilise nurses’ and other healthcare professionals’ scope of practice and improve consumer experiences of care. This work has included higher degree research student supervision and grants on topics such as long-acting reversible contraception, medication abortion, preconception, and interconception care as well as workforce issues. She has accrued funding from fellowships and being part of research teams that total over AUS $5.3 million.
Dr. James was a 2021 finalist and 2022 runner-up for the Australian Primary Healthcare Nurses Association (APNA) Nurse of the Year Award. She is an Australian Primary Health Care Nurses’ Association Board Director with representations including the National Scope of Practice Review, National Hypertension Taskforce Steering Committee, and the Department of Health and Aged Care Frequent Hospital Users Program Co-Design. Her professional representations include the Early to Midcareer as well as Policy and Advocacy subcommittees for the Australasian Association of Academic Primary Care. Dr. James has been awarded Fellowships with TUTOR-PHC 2022 (Western University, Canada) and the Oxford International Primary Care Research Leadership Programme 2024 (University of Oxford, UK). She is a member of the Xi Omicron and Psi Zeta Chapters.
Elham Othman, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor
Applied Science Private University
Amman, Jordan | Middle East Region
Dr. Elham is an experienced nursing educator and researcher with focusing on oncology, palliative care, and critical care nursing. Her research addresses critical healthcare issues and contributes to improving clinical practices and shaping policy development. Dr. Othman’s research emphasizes culturally sensitive healthcare practices, particularly through studies on decision-making near the end of life and Islamic perspectives on family presence during resuscitation. These studies provide valuable insights that influence practical strategies for enhancing patient-centered care in diverse, multicultural settings. She effectively combines both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, showcasing her versatility as a researcher.
Dr. Othman’s accomplishments have been recognized through numerous honors, including the "Distinguished Researcher Award in the Scopus Database" (2024) from the Faculty of Nursing, Applied Science Private University, The "SAGE Student Research Methods Prize" (2022), and the "The University of Jordan award for distinguished student researcher" (2019). She is an active member of professional organizations such as the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) and Sigma’s Theta Tau Psi Kappa Chapter, reflecting her dedication to professional development and collaboration.
Anam Shahil-Feroz, PhD, MSc, BScN
Assistant Professor
Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario, Canada | North America RegionDr. Anam Shahil-Feroz focuses on maternal health and digital health interventions. She has dedicated her career to improving self-care agency among high-risk pregnant women, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Dr. Shahil-Feroz’s research program explores the potential of mobile health (mHealth) solutions to enhance antenatal and postnatal care. Her early work included a widely cited systematic review on mHealth applications, published in BMC Health Services Research, which laid the foundation for her master’s thesis on mobile health interventions. Building on this, her doctoral research focused on the feasibility of a mobile phone-based telemonitoring program, Raabta, for pregnant women at high risk for preeclampsia. The program was developed in collaboration with the University Health Network’s Center for Digital Therapeutics and funded by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant.
Anam has published over 66 peer-reviewed papers, with 27 as the lead author, and has received numerous awards, including the CIHR Health Systems Impact Fellowship and the Connaught PhD Public Impact Fellowship. Her work extends beyond academia, as she actively collaborates with researchers in Pakistan, India, North America, and Africa, and engages in innovative knowledge translation methods. Now a tenure-track assistant professor at the University of Western Ontario, Anam is leading a pilot trial of Raabta in Pakistan while working to adapt the program for South Asian immigrant pregnant women in Canada. Her dedication to maternal health research continues to shape global nursing practice and digital health innovation.
Shanshan Wang, PhD, MMed, BMed, RN
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong | Asia RegionDr. Wang is a registered nurse, nurse researcher, and Fulbright Alumna. Her research expertise is in gerontological nursing, with a focus on dementia care, gerontechnology, evidence-based practice, bibliotherapy, and self-help interventions. She is committed to developing and implementing evidence-based interventions to improve the well-being of older adults and their informal caregivers.
Shanshan has secured over 10 million Hong Kong dollars in grants, with more than 5 million as the principal investigator. She has published 80 papers in peer-reviewed journals and received three international research awards, along with several local awards. Her research has had significant impacts across various domains. During her postdoctoral training, she successfully managed a government consultancy project on the "Needs and Support Required of Carers of Elderly Persons and of Persons with Disabilities in Hong Kong," with findings used by the government for policymaking and published on the Social Welfare Department website. Additionally, her publications have been referenced in three policy documents by the Government of Portugal and the IZA Institute of Labor Economics. She is also dedicated to nurturing the next generation of nurses through her excellent teaching performance. In recognition of her teaching, she received the Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing Award from the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence in the United States. She serves as the Secretary of the Pi Iota at-Large Chapter of Sigma.
Arkers Kwan Ching Wong, PhD, MSc, RN,PGDIP, BSc, FHEA, FHKAN, FIHERD
Assistant Professor, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong | Asia Region
Cliff J. Connell, PhD, BN(Hons), RN, GradCert HPE, GradCert Crit Care
Senior Lecturer and Deputy Director of Research
Monash University, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash Nursing & Midwifery Melbourne, Australia | Oceania RegionWith more than 30 years of nursing experience, Dr. Connell has spent the last 24 years as an emergency nurse, emergency clinical nurse educator, clinical nurse consultant, university lecturer, and researcher. A Fellow of the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia, he is the Deputy Director of Graduate Research and Senior Lecturer in Emergency Nursing at Monash Nursing and Midwifery (MNM); a Monash Health Emergency Research Fellow; and a Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Research Fellow. Cliff’s work is translational research which aims to improve the safety and quality of care provision and outcomes for emergency department (ED) patients. In his program of research, he leads several projects related to current physiological assessment practice in the ED, its association with patient and system outcomes, and improving these outcomes using computational support for clinical decision support systems. Cliff is a member of the First2Act research development team, a core project researcher of the Team Emergency Assessment Measure, and producer and presenter of the This Emergency Life podcast.
Deborah Tolulope Esan, PhD, MPH, BNSc, RN, RM, RPHN
Associate Professor
Department of Nursing Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti
Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria | Africa RegionDr. Esan is an Associate Professor of Nursing with specialization in community/public health nursing at the Department of Nursing Science, Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. She earned a Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) degree from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, in 2008, a master’s degree in public health at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 2014, and a PhD at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, in 2021. Dr. Esan is a registered nurse/midwife and a public health nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. She is currently an active member of the Alpha Alpha Upsilon Chapter of Sigma. She started her teaching career as a graduate assistant at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, in 2012, where she rose to the post of an associate professor through dedication and hard work. Dr. Esan has authored 60 publications in reputable journals, with more than 30 of the articles published in Scopus-indexed journals. She is a public health nurse specialist with a research focus on cancer risk factors, prevention and screening, community midwifery, and public health nursing research. She has contributed valuable knowledge to the field of public health through article publication, conference paper presentation, and capacity building. Dr. Esan is a seasoned researcher, an emerging young scholar, and an educator. She has enjoyed international and local research grants/support. Dr. Esan has supervised over 80 undergraduate research thesis/projects, two master’s student research projects, and is currently supervising three PhD students in nursing.
Jojo Yan Yan Kwok, PhD, MPH, BN (1st Hons), RN, RYS 200, MHKAN
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam, Hong Kong | Asia RegionDr. Jojo Kwok is a registered nurse, certified yoga instructor, and currently an Assistant Professor at the School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong. Her research interests focus on neurology, primary care health services and behavioral medicine with an emphasis on Parkinson’s disease (PD), integrated care models, and resilience training. Her ongoing research projects include investigating the effects and mechanisms of individual mindfulness techniques and establishing more accessible healthcare services with the use of technology. In partnership with international scholars from the UK, the Netherlands, Israel, and the US, she has been developing and evaluating technology-based mind-body interventions for promoting PD rehabilitation and obtaining evidence of their acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy. Examples include telehealth-delivered home-based rehabilitation programs and smartphone-based digital surveillance platforms for motor and non-motor symptom monitoring. Her work has been disseminated in leading international journals such as JAMA Neurology, npj Parkinson’s Disease, and the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. Dr. Kwok’s work has also been featured local and international mass media, including Reuters and Radio Television Hong Kong. She has also been invited to present at international conferences including the 2023 Neuroscience and Yoga Online Conference hosted by New York University, the 2020 Symposium on Yoga Research hosted by the International Association of Yoga Therapists, and the 2020 International Conference on Frontiers in Yoga Research and its Applications hosted by the Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana and the Government of India. She has received an Early Career Award from the Hong Kong Society of Behavioral Health in 2022, an Outstanding New Researcher Award, and a Meritorious Scientific Abstract Award from the International Society of Behavioral Medicine in 2021 and 2018, respectively.
Laila Ladak, PhD, MScN, BScN, RN
Associate Professor
Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery
Karachi, Pakistan | Middle East RegionDr. Laila Ladak holds the Gulshan Bhatia Endowed Associate Professorship and serves as the Assistant Dean Graduate Programs, School of Nursing and Midwifery, at Aga Khan University in Pakistan. She holds a PhD from Susan Wakil School of Nursing, The University of Sydney, Australia and is currently an honorary faculty member there. She has supervised various master’s and PhD students and has provided mentorship to the residents and faculty for their research and scholarly work. She has been awarded the Outstanding Teacher Award Graduate Program and Research Award for her scientific contribution and scholarly work. Dr. Ladak's scholarly interests focus on improving health outcomes of children, adolescents, and young adults with chronic life-long diseases, as well as their families. She is particularly interested in exploring the long-term outcomes, health-related quality of life, and improving health literacy. Dr. Ladak is also interested in implementing value-based healthcare strategies to improve health outcomes. She also received the Dragon Endorsement Award for her efforts in value-based healthcare. Dr. Ladak has various grants, research, publications, scholarships, and awards to her profile, which clearly demonstrate her commitment and contribution toward the scientific community. Dr. Ladak also serves as editor of the Nursing and Midwifery section of PLOS Global Public Health and is an editorial board member of the Journal of Pediatric Nursing. She has demonstrated leadership on the Steering Committee member of the International Consortium of Health Outcomes Measures (ICHOM) by developing the global standard sets for congenital heart disease patients. She also serves as the chair for Global Health at the International Society of Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ISACHD). As chairperson of the Aga Khan Local Health Board (a philanthropic organization), Dr. Ladak leads various community-based initiatives as voluntary service, in improving the quality of life of the community.
William E. Rosa, PhD, MBE, NP-BC, FAANP, FPCN, FAAN
Assistant Attending Behavioral Scientist
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, USA | North America RegionDr. Rosa is an Assistant Attending Behavioral Scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center in New York and a Visiting Research Scholar at the University of Miami Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas. Dr. Rosa completed MSK’s Hospice & Palliative Medicine Interdisciplinary Clinical Fellowship and served as Chief Fellow of MSK’s National Cancer Institute T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Psychosocial, Palliative, and Community Research in Cancer. Dr. Rosa is the editor of five books, has given over 100 keynote and conference presentations, and contributed more than 150 academic publications in journals and texts. He was lead researcher for the World Innovation Summit for Health policy report, "Nurses for Health Equity: Guidelines for Tackling the Social Determinants of Health," endorsed by the World Health Organization. "Nurses for Health Equity" provided over 70 evidence-based guidelines for nurses to achieve health equity across six domains of practice, including in their roles as advocates. Dr. Rosa's dissertation focused on the association of patients' analgesic treatment beliefs and trade-offs with analgesic adherence behaviors among outpatients with cancer pain. Dr. Rosa’s dissertation articulated substantive implications for nursing research, education, policy, and clinical practice, and was recognized with Sigma's Research Dissertation Award. His current research focuses on cancer pain management, global palliative care and pain relief disparities, and LGBTQ+ inclusive palliative care communication. His research has been funded by Cambia Health Foundation, Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation, American Cancer Society, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Rosa is a Scientific Advisory Group Member for the Lancet Commission on Cancer and Health Systems and a Writing Committee Member for the Lancet Commission on Breast Cancer.
Heidi Singleton, PhD, MEd, PGCE, BSc (Hons), RNC, SFHEA
Children’s Nursing Academic
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth, United Kingdom | Europe RegionHaving joined Bournemouth University as Lecturer of Children’s and Young People’s (CYP) Nursing, Heidi brings a range of experience to the role. Having trained as a CYP Nurse at the University of Surrey, she worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Southampton School of Nursing. She recently completed her Return to Nursing Practice Course. After obtaining a post graduate certificate of education and a master’s degree in education, she completed her PhD. She believes that blending evidence-based practice with innovative ideas to engage and keep pace with the changing nursing landscape should be at the heart of nurse education. Her PhD focused on how technology can engage and improve student nurses’ understanding of complex concepts, including diabetes. A systematic review of the literature led to the creation of a diabetes virtual reality (VR) simulator evaluated using a randomised controlled trial (RCT) (n=171), analysed via Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). VR was found to be significantly (P=<.001) better in terms of hypoglycemia knowledge than normative methods. In addition to exploring how technology can be used for education, her other main research areas focus on how technology can be used both therapeutically and for service improvement in the areas of dermatology (including the psychological impact of eczema and nurse led skin cancer clinic service innovation), mental health (improving early intervention service innovation), and anxiety (vaccination and hospital appointment anxiety). Heidi is the academic lead for a Cochrane Review entitled “Psychological and educational interventions for atopic eczema in children.” She is the PI for a NIHR bid which aims to explore how an “eczema igloo” can help distract children from scratching and improve quality of life for children and families.
Mercy Ngosa Mumba, PhD, RN, CMSRN, FAAN
Founding Director, Center for Substance Use Research and Related Conditions; Associate Professor, University of Alabama Capstone College of Nursing
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA | North America RegionMercy Ngosa Mumba is an Associate Professor and Founding Director of the Center for Substance Use Research and Related Conditions in the Capstone College of Nursing at the University of Alabama. She graduated with her PhD from the University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing and Health Innovation in December 2016 and with her Honors Bachelor of Science in Nursing in December 2010. Her research focuses on substance use disorders, addictive behaviors, and their comorbid mental health conditions. She is particularly interested in the impact of social determinants of health and the role of health disparities in preventing, treating, and managing these conditions. Dr. Mumba is passionate about improving the human condition through evidence-based initiatives and interventions, and is a strong advocate for increasing research productivity, infrastructure, and human capital globally. Dr. Mumba is a passionate servant leader who believes in the power of advocacy to affect policy changes that result in positive population outcomes. She believes in giving back to the profession of nursing through service, scholarship, and mentorship.
Siobhán O'Connor, PhD, BSc, BSc, RGN, CIMA CBA
Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, The University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Manchester, United Kingdom | Europe RegionSiobhán O'Connor is a Senior Lecturer or Associate Professor in the Division of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work at The University of Manchester. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Canada. Dr. O'Connor has an interdisciplinary background in both nursing and information systems, completing her PhD in health informatics. Her teaching and research focus is on technology for patient self-management, and she also undertakes pedagogical research exploring digital forms of learning in nursing education. Dr. O'Connor has received several grants for nursing informatics research and has published over 40 peer-reviewed scientific articles.
Christopher F. Patterson, PhD, MN (Mental Health), BN (Hons), RN
Senior Lecturer, University of Wollongong
Wollongong, Australia | Oceania RegionChristopher Patterson is a Lecturer within the school of nursing and a registered nurse, with specialist qualifications in mental health. In 2019, Dr. Patterson was awarded Nurse of the Year at the Australian Healthcare Week Awards. Dr. Patterson is an active researcher, with interests in teaching and learning within the nursing workforce, mental health stigma, and improving the health of people with lived experience of mental illness. In addition to his research, Dr. Patterson is the co-founder/co-director of the award-winning initiative, Recovery Camp. He is wholly committed to making a difference in the lives of people who are living with mental illness, as well as helping future nursing professionals develop recovery-oriented skills.
Daniel Felipe Martín Suárez-Baquero, PhD, MSN, RN
Postdoctoral Fellow, ACTIONS Program, University of California, San Francisco
Bogotá, Colombia | Latin America & Caribbean RegionDaniel Felipe Martín Suárez-Baquero is a postdoctoral fellow in the ACTIONS program at the University of California, San Francisco. He received his PhD in Nursing from the University of Texas at Austin and his BSN and MSN in Maternal/Perinatal Nursing Care from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. His research and practice concern Latina/e's reproductive health experiences, community/cultural memory of ethnic minoritized women, and nursing theory.
Vivien Xi Wu, PhD, MEd, BN, RN
Assistant Professor, Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
Singapore | Asia RegionVivien Xi Wu is an Assistant Professor at Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Dr. Wu is a nurse researcher focusing on geriatric care. She works closely with the community sectors in developing healthy aging programs for older adults. Dr. Wu's research is centered on chronic disease management for older adults and caregivers with technology, intergenerational programs to promote healthy longevity in the community, professional development for nurses, and nursing education. Dr. Wu serves as Editor of BMC Geriatrics, Early Career Researcher Editor of Journal of Advanced Nursing, and reviewer for international nursing and medical journals. She was selected as an Early Career Investigator in the field of science, clinical, and technology for Interstellar Initiative in 2020. She has been working with cross-disciplinary team of basic scientists from USA and Japan to study the translation from mice model to human study in the management of Type 2 diabetes. Dr. Wu has received more than 10 research grants from local and international organizations as principal investigator (PI) and co-PI. Dr. Wu has published over 50 articles in international refereed journals and book chapters.
Jinbing Bai, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN
Assistant Professor, Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
Atlanta, GA, USA
North America RegionResearch areas: biopsychosocial mechanisms of psychoneurological symptoms
Dr. Bai has built a unique, multidisciplinary research program focusing on the biopsychosocial mechanism(s) of psychoneurological symptoms that will help clinicians relieve the cancer symptom burden in children. His work in the gut brain-axis and the microbiome will provide more evidence to design targeted interventions for cancer-related symptoms mediated by brain function.
Simon Ching Lam, PhD, RN, FHKAN
Assistant Professor, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong
Asia RegionResearch areas: infection control, psychometric testing and elderly care
Dr. Lam’s research studies consistently influence practice and policies in clinical, policy and community settings. His research program is built on transforming an abstract concept to measurable items, which facilitates an accurate and appropriate measurement for further use.
Jamie Ranse, PhD, RN, BNurs, GradCertClinEd, GradCertClinEpi, MCritCareNurs
Senior Research Fellow, Emergency Care, Griffith University
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Oceania RegionResearch areas: emergency healthcare, primarily in the areas of high visibility, high consequence events that are either planned or unplanned
Dr. Ranse’s work is of importance to the general community, centering on emergency health care in the areas of mass gatherings/major events and disasters/public health emergencies. This community focus has allowed him to share his professional expertise with the academic, clinical, and policy making community through print, radio, and live national television appearances.
Quinn Grundy, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor
Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
North America RegionResearch areas: commercial determinants of health and their impact on the delivery of health services, health evidence, and consumer health information
Shela A. Hirani, PhD, MScN, BScN, IBCLC, RN
Associate Professor
University of Regina, Faculty of Nursing
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Middle East RegionResearch areas: breastfeeding advocacy among marginalized group of mothers and young children who are refugees, immigrants, internally displaced, and homeless
Rick Yiu Cho Kwan, RN, PhD
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong
Asia RegionResearch areas: gerontological nursing, specializing in care for older people with cognitive impairment and frailty, using various technology-based or e-health interventions
Susan McInnes, RN, BN(Hons), PhD
Lecturer
University of Wollongong School of Nursing
Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Oceania RegionResearch areas: primary healthcare, new graduate nurses, and lifestyle risk communication
Champion N. Nyoni, BSc(Hons) N, MSoc Sc. (Nursing), MHPE, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow and Senior Lecturer
School of Nursing, University of the Free State
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Africa RegionResearch areas: interprofessional education, professional identify development and formation in the health science, and program development and design
Michael Joseph Diño, PhD, RN, MAN, LPT, is the Director for Research Development and Innovation Center of the Our Lady of Fatima University in Valenzuela City, Philippines. Due to his advocacy for quality-of-life through his telehealth project for the ageing population, he became the first Asian recipient of the Nurse in the Limelight Award conferred by the Connecting Nurses Program in partnership with the International Council of Nurses. He was a former member of the Advisory Board of Apple Distinguished Educators. He has been a recognized speaker in the fields of nursing, health, education, informatics, knowledge translation, intellectual property, ethics, and research. He proactively participates in publication and leadership in various local and international professional organizations and honor societies. His research work primarily focuses on technology use in nursing, health, education, and research gearing towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Ana Laura Solano López, PhD, RN, is a faculty member at Universidad de Costa Rica, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate levels and is a mentor for the new generation. She is part of the first-generation of PhD-prepared nurses in Costa Rica. She graduated with her doctorate in 2016 at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University, supported by a scholarship of the Costa Rican Ministry of Science and Technology and University of Costa Rica. Her research interest is the exploration of neurocognitive and emotional mechanisms involved in the adoption of self-management behaviors in people with chronic diseases, especially processes such as interoception. Dr. Solano is expanding research capacity in her country and broadening the body of knowledge in chronic disease self-management. She has presented at several national and international conferences and has also published in peer-reviewed journals.
Gillian Strudwick, PhD, RN, is an assistant professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto, Canada. She is also a registered nurse and independent scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Dr. Strudwick's research is in the field of digital health and mental health service delivery.
Amanda Ullman, RN, GC, PICO, MAppSci, PhD, Centaur Fellow, is a paediatric nurse and associate professor at Griffith University, Australia. She is also an Honorary Research Fellow at the Queensland Children's Hospital and the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Currently an NHMRC fellow, her research focuses on promoting high-quality vascular access care for children with complex and critical health conditions.
Miguel Villegas-Pantoja, MNSc, DNSc, is a Professor at the Nursing School of Nuevo Laredo, Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas, Mexico. He received his Master (2011) and Doctor (2014) degrees from the Nursing School, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Presently he is a member of the Mexican National System of Researchers (Level 1). His research career has been focused to the study of substance use in vulnerable groups, especially adolescents and women. In recent years he has received international and national funding for research projects. Dr. Villegas has published two books, seven book chapters, and many scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals in collaboration with Mexican and international researchers.
Hsiao-Yean Chiu, PhD, RN, is an assistant professor at Taipei Medical University College of Nursing, Taiwan. Her research activities focus on the relationship between sleep and cognitive functions, particularly in patients with brain
injury and older adults. She also applies non-pharmacological strategies to manage sleep disturbances and cognitive impairments in a variety of clinical and community settings. She is a member of Lambda Beta-at-Large Chapter.
Bukola Oladunni Salami, RN, BScN, MN, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta. Her main area of research is immigrant health. Since 2014 (until 2017), she has been involved in thirty-five funded
research projects, including fifteen as the principal investigator. Her research has been supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, among other agencies. She has published twenty-five papers in peer-reviewed journals
(with an additional ten papers submitted) as well as two book chapters and eight reports. She has presented at several local, national, and international conferences, and her work has been featured in the media. In 2016, she became a collaborating
researcher at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development in Geneva and was named one of Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40. She is a member of Lambda Pi at-Large Chapter and Mu Sigma Chapter.
Shelley Schmollgruber, PhD, RM, RN, is an accomplished lecturer, dedicated to teaching Intensive and Critical Care Nursing in the Department of Nursing Education at the WITS Faculty of Health Sciences. She is an avid researcher with
a high level of research productivity aimed at investigating and promoting nurse-led care and evidence-based practice. Shelley has a particular interest in improving psychological outcomes for patients in critical care. Shelley is currently supervisor
of 13 MSc and six PhD students. During her tenure in the department, she has held various departmental portfolios and some in the Faculty. She is also an executive council member of the Critical Care Society of Southern Africa (CCSSA), Fellow of
the Academy of Nursing South Africa (ANSA) and International Ambassador for the World Federation of Critical Care Nurses (WFCCN). Shelley has presented at various national and international conferences and has also published in national and international
journals.
Parveen Azam Ali, PhD, MScN, RN, SFHEA, FRSA, is a Registered Nurse, Registered Midwife (Pakistan) and a Registered Nurse Teacher. She is a Lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield and is an associate
editor of Nursing Open, United Kingdom. Parveen moved to the United Kingdom following many years in nursing practice and commenced her academic career and has excelled in promoting best nursing practice. She also received the prestigious Mary
Seacole Leadership Award in 2015. Her research focuses on domestic violence and health experiences of minority ethnic communities. She is a member of Phi Mu Chapter.
Lydia Aziato, PhD, MPhil, FWACN, FGCNM, ONC, BA (Nsg/Psych) (Hons), RN, is a Senior Lecturer and the Head of Adult Health Department School of Nursing, University of Ghana. She has published in many credible peer-reviewed journals
and is a reviewer for many. She is the Vice President of Chi-Omicron Chapter in Africa. Her research interest cut across pain, cancers and issues related to women’s health research, spirituality and herbal medicine. She has advanced skills
in qualitative research.
Ryan J. Shaw, PhD, RN, is an Assistant Professor at the Duke University School of Nursing and Director of the Duke Health Innovation Lab. He has a secondary appointment in the Duke University School of Medicine where he is the
faculty lead in mobile health technologies in the Center for Applied Genomics & Precision Medicine. He is a pioneer in mobile health—the collection and dissemination of information using mobile and wireless devices. These technologies
afford researchers, clinicians, and patients a rich stream of real-time information about individuals’ biophysical and behavioral health in everyday environments. He is funded by the US National Institutes of Health, served on four special-emphasis
NIH grant review panels, published over 34 peer-reviewed manuscripts, co-authored a book chapter, presented at national and international conferences, and been featured in local and national media outlets. He is a member of Beta Epsilon Chapter.
Tara Albrecht, PhD, MSN, ACNP-BC, is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at Virginia Commonwealth University, USA. Her research is focused on symptoms, distress, associated biological signatures and the relationship
to health outcomes in patients with cancer, specifically those with acute leukemia and their family members. She works with an interdisciplinary team of scientists and clinicians with the goal of advancing symptom science to ultimately ameliorate
distressing symptoms and improve health outcomes for patients and their families in both the oncology and palliative care settings. She maintains once weekly clinical practice as a nurse practitioner dividing her time between the oncology and
palliative care clinics. She is a member of Gamma Omega Chapter
Siedine Knobloch Coetzee, PhD, MCur, BCur, RN, RM, RCN, RPN, RNE , is an associate professor at the School of Nursing Science of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus), South Africa. Within this capacity, she teaches
research methodology at the baccalaureate, masters and doctoral level. Her research programme focuses on nurse outcomes, specifically empirical measures of the physical and psychological work environment and its effect on the nurse. Within this
programme, she has published nine peer reviewed articles, delivered seven masters and five doctoral students, and has presented her work at several national and international conferences. She has also served as a collaborator or co-investigator
of five international, and principal and co-principal investigator of two national collaborative research projects. She recently received national recognition, with a Y-2 rating from the National Research Foundation. She has also served
on various national task teams, committees and boards, and has served on the Sigma Theta Tau International Research Scholarship and Advisory Council since 2012. She is a member of Tau Lambda-at-Large Chapter.
Rachel Walker, PhD, MN, Bn, BA, RN, was a Research Fellowship with the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Centre of Research Excellence in Nursing and was based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane,
Australia. In April 2015, Rachel commenced a joint appointment with the Division of Surgery at the hospital, and is currently the acting Assistant Director of Nursing, Research in the Nursing Practice Development Unit. Rachel’s research
activities include: a pilot RCT in pressure injury prevention; Cochrane Reviews investigating wound dressings for treating pressure ulcers; a pre-post continuous observation time-motion study to evaluate the impact of an electronic health record
data management system on nurse time at the bedside and; an integrated knowledge translation approach to explore the barriers and facilitators to timely reporting and intervention in patient clinical deterioration in acute care settings. She
is a member of Phi Delta-at-Large Chapter.