Research and Scholarship: Then, now and the future
The UAB School of Nursing is a leader in nursing and health care research. The School established the state’s and one of the nation’s first centers dedicated solely to nursing research in 1979 and created the Southeast’s first nursing doctorate program in 1975. The School consistently has increased its extramural and intramural funding over the years and recently completed a major office expansion enabling all research faculty and staff to work together in one combined space, allowing even more collaboration and innovation for advancing health care into the future.
“I am proud of the history and strength of our School in growing and expanding our research portfolio,” said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN. “For decades, our School’s leadership has valued the significant contributions of nurse scientists in advancing nursing knowledge, informing policy and improving patient outcomes. It’s one of the reasons I came to UAB. Our mission and vision remain rooted in that purpose—to make a meaningful difference in the health and well-being of all Alabamians and beyond.”
The growth of grants
In the early 1970’s, completing a grant application to the National Institutes of Health wasn’t as easy as clicking “submit” online. In the School’s history book, “The First Fifty Years: From Tuscaloosa to Birmingham,” Dean Marie O’Koren’s executive assistant remembers faculty and staff finalizing a grant proposal the day before the deadline. The executive assistant flew to Bethesda, Maryland to deliver it by hand. Not only did it arrive on time—it was approved and funded.
And the growth of research funding has continued through the decades.
Dean O’Koren was responsible for establishing the Center for Research and Development in the 1970s, the beginnings of what became the Center for Nursing Research and what is now called the Office of Research and Scholarship. It was the first such center in Alabama and one of the first in the country.
During the 1990’s, Dean Rachel Booth, prioritized elevating the School’s research activity, believing that nurses should play a leading role in identifying and investigating gaps in knowledge. Booth recruited funded researchers and supported faculty in obtaining research grants.
“We should position ourselves to educate students to deliver the very best possible patient care, and then to be able to study ways of improving that care—because that’s all part of our reason for being,” Booth said in a 1997 interview.
In 1999, under Booth’s leadership, the School’s Center for Nursing Research moved into a new, expanded home with labs, areas for future PhD students and space for collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Later that year, the School opened its new Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Program, closely aligning it with its research initiatives. Booth also created the role of Associate Dean of Research to lead the School in its continuous growth, encourage faculty to be more engaged in research and recruit new faculty to the cause.
The School’s fourth dean, Doreen C. Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN, helped lead a dedicated effort to focus significant resources on research. In addition to recognizing research and scholarship as foundational elements in knowledge creation to advance nursing practice, she also saw an opportunity to align with UAB's research centers and further address disparities in care.
“We have supported this growth through strategic recruitment, faculty development and a dedication to mentorship of doctoral students, postdocs and faculty,” Harper said in 2022 after the School ranked No. 6 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding. “This continued upward trajectory of our research enterprise reflects the commitment to our research and scholarship missions of all of the UABSON faculty, staff and students, the significant work, focus and output of our Office of Research and Scholarship, and of being at UAB, working with our interprofessional research colleagues and scientists.”
Dean Shirey has continued the growth of the School’s research portfolio through facility expansion, support of early career scientist development and resources, and expansion of infrastructure to enhance collaboration at the School and beyond.
Research today
Alongside UAB’s research vision and as part of one of the nation’s leading academic health science centers, the School is currently focused on five high-growth research areas to expand its already diversified portfolio—emerging technology and products, social determinants of health, implementation science, intersection of clinical trials and precision health, and health sciences.
Professor, Interim Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship and Marie O’Koren Endowed Chair in Nursing Ellen Lavoie Smith, PhD, MSN, RN, AOCN, FAAN, said the School is showing resilience in navigating the complex funding landscape.
“We are persistent. We are resilient. And we continue to reassess, reenergize and strategize how we work together as a group of scientists collectively to continue to submit highly competitive grants and go beyond what we’ve done before,” Smith said.
Associate Professor and Interim Assistant Dean for Research and Scholarship Edwin Aroke, PhD, CRNA, FADLN, FAANA, FAAN, said they are focusing on collaboration across investigators.
“At the intersection of symptom science, palliative care, HIV, and cognition, our faculty are forging new research collaborations to offer a holistic perspective on complex health challenges,” said Associate Professor and Interim Assistant Dean for Research and Scholarship Edwin Aroke, PhD, CRNA, FADLN, FAANA, FAAN. “We are exploring how societal factors impact the cognitive and physical well-being of individuals facing chronic illness to not only advance medical knowledge but also cultivate a deeper understanding of how to deliver personalized care for everyone."
Smith said the School also is proactively working to increase their grant submission proposals and have met and exceeded their goal this year.
“We are encouraged by the grants and funding we have been awarded and the progress we’re making in positively impacting health outcomes in our state, nation and the world,” Smith said.
In 2025, the School received a four-year, $4 million Health Resources and Services Administration grant for launching the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program to help improve maternal and infant health outcomes in the state. The goal is to develop and implement a comprehensive, sustainable maternal care delivery model that enhances outcomes for birthing individuals in Alabama's most underserved rural communities.
UABSON faculty leading the way
Several of the School’s faculty received national and international awards this year for their groundbreaking research and contributions to advancing nurse science. Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN, was inducted into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame by the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She was one of only 15 world-renowned nurse researchers selected.
Professor, Interim Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship and Marie O’Koren Endowed Chair in Nursing Ellen Lavoie Smith, PhD, MSN, RN, AOCN, FAAN, is the 2025 recipient of the Oncology Nursing Society Distinguished Researcher Award. This award recognizes the contributions of an ONS member who conducts or promotes research that enhances the science and practice of oncology nursing. Smith presented her research and was honored at the annual ONS Congress.
Associate Professor and Interim Assistant Dean for Research and Scholarship Edwin Aroke, PhD, CRNA, FADLN, FAANA, FAAN, received the International Society of Nurses in Genetics Founders’ Award for Excellence in Genomic Nursing Research. This award recognizes ISONG members who have demonstrated excellence in genomic nursing research. Aroke was honored at the 2024 ISONG Annual World Congress for his work uncovering the role of epigenomic modification in chronic pain and chronic pain disparities.
Assistant Professor Rachel Wells, PhD, RN, CNL (MSN 2009, PhD 2019), received the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association’s 2025 New Investigator Award. This award honors a gifted new researcher whose work is making a difference in clinical care, the advancement of palliative nursing or professional development. Wells accepted the award at The Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care.
Space for collaboration
In late 2024, the Office of Research and Scholarship moved into an expanded office space to enable the all research faculty and staff to work together in a shared area and more collaborative environment. The Magnolia Building office area added more than 20,000 square feet, with more than 100 office areas and workstations for faculty and staff. Several shared meeting spaces allow plenty of room for meetings and events such as the Research Rally held in September and grant revamp workshops.
“This space helps us make sure we’re building relationships and fostering a sense of shared purpose,” Smith said. “Collaboration and connection are key to making sure our research thrives. We want to cultivate an environment that facilitates and inspires innovative and sustainable scholarship across all missions and builds on momentum in the coming years.”
“Times are challenging but our nurse scientists work hard and are adaptive, and I am confident they will navigate the challenges no matter what they are,” Shirey said. “They are all engaged in important and meaningful work, and I am optimistic we will continue to fund our research at the high levels we have seen.”
-Jennifer Lollar