International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame

Created in 2010, the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame recognizes nurse researchers who have achieved significant and sustained national or international recognition and whose research has improved the profession and the people it serves. Hall of Fame honorees are inducted annually at Sigma’s International Nursing Research Congress where nearly 1,000 nurse researchers, students, clinicians, and leaders learn from evidence-based research presentations. Award presentation sponsored by Wiley.

2023 Hall of Fame Inductees

Find out more about each of the honorees on Nursing Centered.


Lora E. BurkeLora E. Burke, PhD, MPH, FAHA, FAAN

Professor Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing
Seattle, Washington, USA

Research areas: epidemiology and cardiovascular behavioral medicine

 

Denise Charron-ProchownikDenise Charron-Prochownik, PhD, RN, CPNP, FAAN

Professor, Nursing and Graduate School of Public Health; Chairman, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Research areas: diabetes in youth and young adults, focusing on adolescent reproductive health behavior and preconception counseling

 

Jyu-Lin ChenJyu-Lin Chen, PhD, RN, CNS, FAAN

Professor and Chair, University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, California, USA

Research areas: childhood obesity; type 2 diabetes and related health challenges of modernity among Chinese American population in the USA and several Pacific Rim countries

 

Wei-Ti ChenWei-Ti Chen, PhD, RN, CNM, FAAN

Associate Professor, University of California, Los Angeles School of Nursing
Los Angeles, California, USA

Research areas: HIV, immigrant health, self- and family-management, Asian Americans

 

Carmen GiurgescuCarmen Giurgescu, PhD, RN, WHNP, FAAN

Professor, Associate Dean for Research, and Chatlos Foundation Endowed Chair in Nursing, University of Central Florida, College of Nursing
Orlando, Florida, USA

Research areas: health disparities in maternal and infant outcomes among Black women

 

Hong-Gu (Linda) HeLinda Hong-Gu He, PhD, MSc, BScMed, RN, MD, FAAN

Professor and Director of PhD/MSc Progammes, National University of Singapore
Singapore

Research areas: women’s and children’s healthcare and chronic disease management

 

Teresa Kelechi, PhD, RN, FAAN

Professor, Associate Dean for Research and PhD Studies, and David and Margaret Clare Endowed Chair, Medical University of South Carolina, College of Nursing
Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Research areas: wound management and prevention; caregiver stress reduction 


Bridie Kent, PhD, BSc(Hons), RN, RNT, PGCert (Teaching in HE), FRCN

Professor in Nursing Leadership, University of Plymouth
Plymouth, England

Research areas: implementation/ knowledge translation and decision-making in clinical nursing, including evidence-based practice; nursing and midwifery workforce issues; critical care, focusing on rehabilitation

 

Cheryl A. Krause-Parello, PhD, RN, FAAN

Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship and Professor, Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida, USA

Research areas: examines the relationship between human-animal interaction and stress biomarkers in active-duty military, veterans, and their families

 

Jianghong Liu, PhD, RN, FAAN

Professor of Nursing and Marjorie O. Rendell Endowed Professor in Healthy Transitions, University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Research areas: influence of early health factors on child behavior

 

Jody Rae Lori, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN

Professor and Associate Dean for Global Affairs; Director, PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center; Chair, University of Michigan, School of Nursing
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Research areas: the development and testing of innovative models of care to improve maternal and newborn health in areas of the world challenged by a lack of human resources, long distances to care, and cultural, gender, and socio-economic barriers 


Jane Maguire, PhD, BA, RN, BNursing Honours, Grad Cert Child and Family Health, MACN

Deputy Head of School-Research and Professor of Nursing, University of Technology Sydney
Sydney, Australia

Research areas: stroke recovery; genomic science 


Matthew D. McHugh, PhD, JD, MPH, RN, FAAN

Professor and Independence Endowed Chair for Nursing Education, University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Research areas: advanced practice providers; health law and regulation; rural health

 

Brett Mitchell, PhD, M.Adv.Pract., Dip Trop Nursing, BN, C.HealthM, C.TeachSuper, FACN, FACIPC

Professor of Nursing, Avondale University and Monash University
Lake Macquarie, Australia

Research areas: infection prevention and control; health services research

 

Ukamaka M. Oruche, PhD, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN

Gordon Keller Professor of Nursing and Assistant Dean of the PhD Program, University of South Florida, College of Nursing
Tampa, Florida, USA

Research areas: developing a dyadic parent/caregiver and healthcare provider intervention to support adolescents with disruptive impulse control and conduct disorders

 

Alessandro Stievano, PhD, MNursSci, MSoc, MEd, BNurs, RN, FEANS, FAAN, FFNMRCSI, FTNSS

Professor, Research Coordinator, Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship OPI of Rome
Rome, Italy

Research areas: professional and policy issues in nursing and health professions; nursing ethics; transcultural nursing

 

Lorna Kwai Ping Suen, PhD, MPH, BN, RN, RM, FHKAN, FAAN

Dean and Professor, School of Nursing, Tung Wah College
Homantin, Hong Kong

Researcher areas: complementary and alternative medicine; auriculotherapy and auricular diagnosis; infection control

 

Yun-Fang Tsai, PhD, RN, FAAN

Distinguished Professor, School of Nursing, Chang Gung University
Tao-Yuan, Taiwan

Research areas: care needs of minority populations

 

Kwua Yun Wang, PhD, RN, FAAN

Director and Professor, RUI GUANG HEALTH CARE GROUP
Taipei, Taiwan

Research areas: pulmonary nursing and rehabilitation; oncology nursing; chronic disease nursing; critical care nursing; health education; health promotion and long-term care

 

Wenru Wang, PhD, RN, FAAN

Associate Professor, Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore  
Singapore

Research areas: chronic illness and long-term care with a primary focus on cardiovascular health and rehabilitation; diabetes management and active aging

 

Chao Hsing Yeh, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN

Professor and The Jane and Robert Cizik Distinguished Chair, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Cizik School of Nursing
Houston, Texas, USA

Posthumous inductee to the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame

Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston honors Dr. Yeh and her legacy of advancing the science of non-pharmacological pain treatments using auricular point acupressure.

Research areas: science of non-pharmacological pain treatments, focusing on the mechanisms, efficacy, and implementation of auricular point acupressure (APA) to manage pain and cancer-related symptoms

 

Adelaida Zabalegui, PhD, RN, FEANS

Vice-Director of Nursing, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain

Research areas: caregivers of people over 65; best practices for patients with dementia, patient education, implementation, and evaluation of dedicated education units in Europe; clinical reasoning in nursing students

 

Emerging Nurse Researchers and Scholars

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. Following the 2022 award presentation, Sigma has recognized 27 nurse researchers. 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.