News & Events

It’s amazing what you can grow in 10 years. In its decade of operation at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, the UM Scholars program has expanded from two students and two faculty mentors to 12 students placed with seven mentors. This year’s scholars are among 35 who have participated since 2016, 32 of whom have matriculated to UMSON. These are numbers that tell a story of a successful collaboration, part of the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State. This alliance between the state’s two most powerful public research institutions — the University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) — provides a summer opportunity for UMCP students to conduct important research alongside UMB faculty. Now more than ever, bolstering the conduit of early-career researchers is critical, paving the way for continuity and developing expertise. On July 31, UMSON celebrated the dozen UM Scholars who conducted nursing research during this year’s program, as they presented their findings, which included background, results, purpose and aim, methods, discussion and steps, acknowledgments, and references. “Once I became a bedside nurse, I became very aware of the need to do research when I was working in the NICU,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and professor, during her opening remarks. “I wondered why babies who looked like me were more likely to die before they reached their first birthday. There are deep factors within our communities that often drive those outcomes. It took me on a wonderful path, but we can’t understand the drivers of poor health outcomes if we don’t do research, if we don’t have people who are curious like you.” As the scholars presented their research findings, they thanked their mentors and other supporters. Ogbolu reinforced this appreciation, saying, “Mentoring students in research is very important work, and sometimes those mentors become lifelong mentors. I’m sure they’ve put an imprint on you and your life.” The scholars shared aspects of their research that surprised them, which ranged from the amount of paperwork to the number of moving parts to the lack of research done to date. “I wasn’t expecting how collaborative research can be, especially at the beginning when you’re designing it,” said UM Scholar Georgia Bardi. The consensus among the scholars was for students to take advantage of opportunities to engage in research whenever possible. “If there’s a research opportunity, just go for it,” said UM Scholar Kayla Morris. “There are so many things that can be incorporated into it, whether you come from a background of computer science or you’ve never used an Excel spreadsheet. It also makes you grow up a little bit, getting to be in a professional setting all the time.” “You always are going to learn something new. You might love research, you might learn that you don’t,” Bardi added. “It helps you in your future; knowing what the process is behind it helps you understand it better.” This year’s scholars, mentors, and projects are: Ozioma Agoh | mentored by Luana Colloca, MD, PhD, MS, professor: Investing in The Role of Expectations in a Virtual Reality-Based Intervention in People with Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) Ayanna Arroyo | mentored by Colloca: Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality on Experimental and Clinical Pain in Patients with TMD Georgia Bardi | mentored by Hannah Murphy Buc, PhD, RN, assistant professor:The New Imperative: Measuring Primary Palliative Care Education for Undergraduate Nursing Students Megha Chander | mentored by Colloca:Ongoing Study: Virtual Reality as a Home-Based Pain and Wellness Intervention in Cancer Survivors Zuzana Huserova | mentored by Colloca:The Impact of Social Discrepancy on Expectancy-Induced Analgesia: Preliminary Analysis Jackson Kerner | mentored by Amber Kleckner, PhD, assistant professor:Qualitative Analysis of Cancer Survivors’ Experience in Nutritional Clinical Trial Christina Lee | mentored by Kim Mooney-Doyle, PhD, RN, CPNP-AC, FAAN, associate professor:Mapping Mindfulness to Reduce Psychosocial Suffering for Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer Alejandra Mata | mentored by Buc:From Conference Presentation to Journal Publication: Restorative Practices to Strengthen Student-Faculty Relationships Kayla Morris | mentored by Colloca:Ongoing Investigation of The Impact of Virtual Reality on Orofacial Pain Intensity and Interference among Participants with TMD Rachel Ni | mentored by Ian Kleckner, PhD, MPH, associate professor:Efficacy of Exercise on Improving Cardiovascular Function in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Hooria Umer | mentored by Rachel Breman, PhD ’18, MPH, RN, FAWHONN, associate professor:Randomized Control Trial of Flange Fitting for NICU Pumping Parents to Explore Improved Milk Production and Satisfaction Daphney Waller | mentored by Colloca: Ongoing Study Investigating Virtual Reality as an At-Home Intervention for TMD

Three University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been awarded a collective $5.3 million in grants from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to advance research aimed at improving the care and quality of life of older adults in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted-living facilities. Brittany Burch, PhD, RN, assistant professor; Joan Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, ACHPN, FGSA, FPCN, FAAN, associate professor; and N. Jennifer Klinedinst, PhD, MPH, MSN, RN, FAHA, associate professor, will each lead projects that address critical issues affecting aging populations — from physical activity and hospital recovery to dementia care and apathy among long-term care residents. “This new research is critically important today as we develop the next generation of researchers and research ideas,” said Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and associate dean for research. “It is these individuals who will help address and assure that the growing number of older adults anticipated over the next decade will receive the best possible and most up-to-date care.” Burch was awarded a five-year, $610,201 grant from the NIA for her project “Preserving Ability Through Virtual Exercise (PAVE): An Intervention to Increase the Physical Activity of Hospitalized Older Adults.” The study will focus on the use of virtual reality to increase older patients’ physical activity while minimizing hospital staff time investment. Although some studies have suggested that virtual reality physical activity is feasible among older adults and could help maintain physical function, these studies have been small, and a dearth of research exists in the hospital setting, where functional decline is widespread, according to Burch. The overall objective of the study is to: determine the feasibility of the virtual reality intervention among hospitalized older adults, compared to an education control group test the hypothesis that patients exposed to the virtual reality intervention will demonstrate greater time spent in physical activity throughout their hospital stay and better maintain their physical function when compared to those exposed to the education control. Carpenter was awarded a five-year, $3.9 million grant from the NIA for her project GOals of Care-ADdressing Variation for Alzheimer’s Disease Nursing Home Care at End of Life (GOC ADVANCE). Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) disproportionately impact Black Americans. Most people with ADRD and their family decision-makers prioritize comfort, yet burdensome interventions and lack of shared decision-making about goals of care are common in nursing homes with a high proportion of Black residents.  The study aims to conduct a real-world efficacy cluster randomized control trial comparing communication and care management outcomes among ADRD decision-makers in nursing homes implementing the GOC ADVANCE intervention. Additionally, the study will evaluate the implementation of the GOC ADVANCE intervention. Klinedinst was awarded a $802,000, two-year grant from the NIA for her project “The Volunteering-in-Place Program for Apathetic Assisted Living Residents with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias.” Apathy, defined as “the quantitative reduction of self-generated voluntary and purposeful behaviors” affects over half of individuals with ADRD. Apathy is associated with increased disability, poorer quality of life and mortality among older adults with ADRD. Moreover, apathetic adults with ADRD are also more likely to be sedentary for long periods of time, which results in declines in function, and negatively impacts overall health and quality of life. She will be the principal investigator in a research study to test the efficacy of an individualized volunteering intervention to decrease apathy and sedentary behavior in assisted living residents with mild to moderate cognitive impairment, including those with ADRD.  Additionally, she will explore self-efficacy and feelings of usefulness as mechanisms for volunteering to reduce apathy among assisted living residents with ADRD. These projects advance UMSON’s leadership in gerontological research and its commitment to improving outcomes for older adults in diverse care settings. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.

Baltimore, Md. –  Joan Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, ACHPN, FGSA, FPCN, FAAN, associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has been named a 2025 Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization dedicated to the field of aging. Fellow status is peer recognition for outstanding contributions to the field of gerontology and represents the highest category of GSA membership, which encompasses more than 6,000 people in more than 50 countries. This distinction is given for diverse activities that include research, teaching, administration, public service, practice, and notable participation in the society. Fellows are chosen from across GSA’s membership groups. Carpenter was selected by GSA’s Heath Sciences Section. Carpenter, who is also a health scientist at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia, and 46 other new fellows will be formally recognized during GSA’s 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting, Nov. 12 - 15 in Boston. “Being inducted as a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America is an honor and a milestone in my career,” said Carpenter, who joined UMSON in 2020. “This recognition reflects my ongoing commitment to improving care, advancing research, and shaping policy for older adults living with serious illness across health care settings.” According to her nomination, submitted by Barbara Resnick, PhD ’96, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, and associate dean for research, Carpenter is “an integral member of the UMSON PhD program faculty, teaching research and scholarship to first-year PhD students and advising students. She receives excellent reviews for her teaching effectiveness and is a nationally recognized expert mentor for students, faculty, and early-career investigators in gerontology and palliative care. Her research program has provided experiential and hands-on research training for PhD students, undergraduate nursing students, and pre-nursing scholars.” Resnick notes Carpenter’s dedication to advancing the next generation of scholars is evidenced in a serious illness mentoring group she co-developed with another faculty member for their advisees. The group meets monthly to discuss works in progress and how to achieve research goals. Carpenter also serves on the UMSON PhD program’s Admissions and Progressions Committee, providing essential input on selecting and supporting students and their success in PhD studies. “She has a national reputation for research expertise in gerontology, palliative care, dementia, clinical trials in nursing home settings, and implementation science,” the nomination continues. “Partnership is at the center of Dr. Carpenter’s work at UMSON; she is a valued team scientist and actively contributes to interdisciplinary research groups.” She has led and contributed to numerous federally funded projects, including initiatives to improve access to dementia palliative care in nursing homes and to elicit and respect care preferences for seriously ill veterans. Her work has significantly advanced the integration of evidence-based palliative care practices in nursing home settings, influencing both clinical care and policy. “Collectively, we have worked with Dr. Carpenter and attest to her genuine and enduring commitment to improving the lives of older adults through leadership, research, teaching, and service.” This week, Carpenter will be inducted as a 2025 Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, and in 2022, she was selected for the prestigious Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators, in which she was awarded $500,000 to study palliative care for people living with dementia in nursing homes and their care partners. Carpenter earned a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Utah, a Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner degree from the Medical College of Georgia, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Pennsylvania State University. She did a postdoctoral research fellowship sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2018 and was awarded a prestigious career development award from the National Institute of Nursing Research in 2019. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.