School of Nursing Salutes 2008 PhD Graduates
In 2008, the University of Wisconsin-Madison will confer doctoral degrees on seven graduates from the School of Nursing. They share their academic distinction with approximately seventy-five other alumni who have completed the school’s PhD program over the past twenty years.
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Tondi Harrison, PhD, RN
Tondi Harrison's research examines the effects of maternal caregiving on early development in infants who are hospitalized shortly after birth with life-threatening or chronic health conditions. Harrison's dissertation, titled “Early Neurobiologic Regulation in Infants with Congenital Heart Defects,” focuses on caregiving behaviors (e.g., a mother's behaviors during infant feedings) that may curb the adverse physiological effects of early stressful experiences on these high-risk infants.
The August 2008 graduate recognizes nursing researchers Sandra Ward, PhD, RN, FAAN, and Karen Pridham, PhD, RN, FAAN, for their guidance and support. "Dr. Ward allowed me the freedom to seek my own path while offering support and encouragement along the way," Harrison notes. "Dr. Pridham provided the guidance on that path, stimulating and challenging my thinking and helping me discover my life's work."
Harrison has accepted a tenure-track faculty position at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing in the Twin Cities. |
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Betty Kaiser, PhD, RN
Betty Kaiser is a December 2008 graduate of the doctoral program. Her research centers on developing interventions that promote healthy lifestyles--physical activity and healthy diet--at the community level. In her dissertation, titled "Perceived Influences on Physical Activity and Diet in Rural, Low-income Adults: The Healthy Lifestyles Study," she examines lifestyle behaviors within an ethnically diverse, rural population.
Kaiser has greatly valued the mentorship of Linda Baumann, PhD, RN, who researches self-care behaviors related to diabetes and directs a community-based health promotion program for low-income adults. "Dr. Baumann was instrumental in connecting me to community partners," Kaiser says, "and she was an excellent model for conducting research that is responsive to local needs, preferences, and resources."
Kaiser has accepted a postdoctoral position as a fellow in the Training Program in Patient-Centered Informational Interventions (T32 grant) at the UW-Madison School of Nursing. The program is funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research. |
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Rebecca Muehrer , PhD, RN
Rebecca Muehrer's dissertation, titled "Sexual Concerns among Kidney Transplant Recipients: Instrument Development," researches the development and testing of a questionnaire tool to identify sexual concerns of kidney transplant recipients. Muehrer believes the tool could guide future research in the development of patient-centered interventions that aid transplant recipients' sexual function.
The May 2008 graduate credits faculty researcher Dorothy Lanuza, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA, for her guidance and demonstration of innovative ways to conduct research. "Dr. Lanuza challenged me to think independently" notes Muehrer," and emphasized the importance of research in the context of clinical practice."
Muehrer has accepted a position as an assistant professor of nursing at the UW-Madison School of Nursing, where, she says, both faculty and staff guided, supported, and challenged her during graduate studies. |
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Jane Peace, PhD, RN
Jane Peace's research explores the application of computer tools to standardize data about family health history in order to identify those individuals or families who would benefit from screening for heritable diseases. Her dissertation is titled "The Use of Ontology to Represent Nursing Knowledge about Family Health History and Facilitate Automated Matching of Prevention Guidelines."
Mentored by Patricia Flatley Brennan, PhD, RN, FAAN, Peace notes that the renowned researcher has offered her unparalleled learning opportunities in nursing and health informatics. "Studying under Dr. Brennan," Peace says, "has given me an appreciation of the impact that an academic nurse researcher can have on the health of individuals and populations."
Peace also values her interdisciplinary learning experiences here at the UW-Madison, which has given her the opportunity, she explains, "to interact with researchers and students in nursing, engineering, and biomedical informatics." Currently, the 2008 August grad is looking at faculty positions on campuses with schools of nursing and departments of bioinformatics. |
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Cynthia Phelan, PhD, RN
Cynthia Phelan graduated from the doctoral program in May of 2008. Her dissertation, "A Ten-year Study of Sleep Quality and Health in Older Women," focuses on sleep disruption and pain in older adults.
Phelan praises her mentor, Susan Heidrich, PhD, RN, for possessing outstanding mentoring skills. "Dr. Heidrich is so knowledgeable, so approachable, sets speed records for expert editing, and loves teaching," Phelan says. "I will work hard during my career to achieve her level of skill and expertise in mentoring students."
According to Phelan, her doctoral training at the UW-Madison School of Nursing has built strong peer relationships, which will continue throughout her teaching/academic career, and beneficial working relationships with renowned UW-Madison and international researchers.
After graduation, she will begin a two-year gerontology fellowship at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, where she will continue her research on older adults and sleep disruption. |
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Heather Royer, PhD, RN
Heather Royer was conferred her doctorate in May of 2008. Her research, titled "Young Women's Representations of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing," examines women's beliefs about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and STI testing.
Royer credits two gifted researchers, Mary Keller, PhD, RN, who passed away on May 15, 2006, and Keller's colleague, Susan Heidrich, PhD, RN, for the guidance and support contributing to Royer's success in the doctoral program.
"Both Dr. Keller and Dr. Heidrich provided me with endless encouragement, enthusiasm, dedication, and astonishing knowledge of research," she says. "Dr. Keller not only taught me about the intricacies of a life in academia, but the importance of celebrating each and every day that you are given."
Royer has accepted a postdoctoral fellowship in the Training Program in Patient-Centered Informational Interventions (T32 grant) at the UW-Madison School of Nursing. The program is funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research. |
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Chiraporn Worawong, PhD, RN
Chiraporn Worawong is an August 2008 graduate of the School of Nursing doctoral program. Her dissertation, titled "A Nutrition Intervention Focused on Goals of Pregnant Thai Women," focuses on effective ways to promote healthy eating in this population. Based on her findings, she will design a patient-centered intervention to promote health behaviors among pregnant women in her country.
Her adviser and mentor, faculty researcher Diane Lauver, PhD, APRN, BC, FAAN, is credited with offering Worawong her support, encouragement, and intellectual guidance. "She has been an excellent role model as teacher and nurse researcher," says Worawong. "I thank Dr. Lauver and the School of Nursing community for my theoretical and practical experiences in the realm of research."
After graduation, Worawong will return to Thailand, where she has accepted a position as nursing instructor at Srimahasarakham Nursing College. |
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