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15 new scholars join School of Nursing faculty
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Students participate in a simulation exercise at the school's learning center

New faculty members (top row, l-r) Liliana Aguayo, Jane Chung, Benjamin Giddens, Miranda Hawks, Snehalata Huzurbazar, (second row, l-r) Hyunjung (Gloria) Kwak, Jiaying Lu, Michael L. McFarland, Nicholas (Nick) Metheny, Emily L. Mroz, (third row, l-r) Jacqueline Nikpour, Ashley M. Ruiz, JoEllen “Ellen” Schimmels, Sharon Jackson White, and Huiwen Xu.

Bringing expertise in aging, AI, cardiovascular disease, end-of-life care, health equity, health policy, intimate partner and gender-based violence mitigation, mental health, nursing curriculum and simulation, and palliative care, 15 scholars have joined the Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing faculty.

“While their research and teaching interests span the gamut, the common denominator between them is a demonstrated commitment to the health and well-being of people and communities,” said Linda McCauley, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN,dean of the School of Nursing. “We are excited about the work they will do among us as we continue to raise the bar in nursing education, research, and clinical expertise.” 

Meet the new faculty members:

Liliana Aguayo, PhD, MPH
Assistant Research Professor
Previous Position: Research Assistant Professor, Hubert Department of Global Health, Emory University
Teaching/Research: Aguayo’s research focuses on the early-life origins of disparities in cardiovascular diseases (CVD), as well as evidence-based strategies to reduce the disproportionate burden of childhood obesity and premature CVD among vulnerable communities, in particular Latinx families. 

Jane Chung, PhD, RN, FGSA
Acting Associate Professor
Previous Position: Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University
Teaching/Research: Chung’s research program focuses on developing, applying and evaluating technology solutions for healthy aging, with research interests encompassing digital biomarkers of dementia, mobility, voice technology for social connectedness, and digital health equity. 

Benjamin Giddens, MS, BS, CCP, RRT 
Director of Simulation, Cardiovascular Perfusion Program
Previous Position: Staff Cardiovascular Perfusionist/Perfusion Lead, ECMO Program, Piedmont Athens Regional
Teaching/Research: Giddens has specialized training in transplantation from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and pediatric training from the Mayo Clinic. He has also been a guest lecturer with the Minnesota Perfusion Society and Carolina Perfusion Society.

Miranda Hawks, PhD, RN, CNL
Assistant Clinical Professor
Previous Position: Assistant Professor, Kennesaw State University
Teaching/Research: Hawks is engaged in transforming nursing curriculum using competency-based education and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing 2021 Essentials. Her research focuses on advancing nursing practice and education in the U.S. and Vietnam through global partnerships. 

Snehalata Huzurbazar, PhD
Acting Professor

Previous Position: Associate Director for Data Science and Professor, School of Math and Data Science, West Virginia University
Teaching/Research: Huzurbazar will teach in the PhD program’s AI track and work with colleagues on microbiome data modeling and analysis and other data science projects. A statistical data scientist, she has taught undergraduate, master’s and PhD courses in statistics, biostatistics, and data science.

Hyunjung (Gloria) Kwak, PhD
Assistant Professor
Previous Position: Post-doctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital
Teaching/Research: Kwak is a researcher in AI for health care, focused on developing equitable, innovative systems addressing social determinants of health and promoting fairness to tackle global health challenges and advance future care.

Jiaying Lu, PhD
Assistant Research Professor
Previous Position: PhD Student, Laney Graduate School, Emory University
Teaching/Research: Lu is interested in developing trustworthy artificial intelligence models to enhance health and health equity for patients and communities. His ongoing projects focus on analyzing nursing notes, electronic health records, and sensory data of the cardiovascular disease population.

Michael L. McFarland, DNP, FNP-BC, AG-ACNP-BC
Assistant Clinical Professor
Previous Position: Senior Clinical Instructor, Hospital Medicine Advanced Practice Provider, Emory Healthcare
Teaching/Research: McFarland enhances clinical reasoning skills among nursing students through innovative simulation techniques. By presenting complex, realistic simulation scenarios, he aims to develop critical thinking in nursing practice and improve educational outcomes and patient safety. 

Nicholas (Nick) Metheny, PhD, MPH, RN
Assistant Professor
Previous Position: Assistant Professor, School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami
Teaching/Research: Metheny conducts interdisciplinary, community-engaged research that seeks to prevent and mitigate intimate partner violence among heterosexual women and sexual and gender minority populations in the United States and South Africa.

Emily L. Mroz, PhD 
Assistant Professor
Previous Position: T32 Postdoctoral Fellow, Section of Geriatrics, School of Medicine, Yale University
Teaching/Research: Mroz examines factors that support preparedness, well-being, and decision-making for individuals and family caregivers navigating progressive illnesses (e.g., dementia, cancer), reaching end of life, and experiencing grief. Her work employs qualitative, quantitative and narrative methods. 

Jacqueline Nikpour, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor
Previous Position: T32 Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania
Teaching/Research: Nikpour’s research examines the impact of new primary care delivery models on achieving equitable health outcomes for patients. She is especially interested in the organization, delivery and financing of nursing care in health centers and other community-based settings.

Ashley M. Ruiz, PhD, RN
Assistant Research Professor
Previous Position: Presidential Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Arizona State University
Teaching/Research: Ruiz’s research bridges environmental health sciences with expertise in gender-based violence to explore the impact of climate change on women’s experiences of sexual gender-based violence following displacement from heat and water-related natural disasters.

JoEllen “Ellen” Schimmels, PhD, DNP, RN, PMHNP-BC, CNE, FAAN
Interim Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program Director
Previous Position: Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Director, College of Nursing, University of New Mexico, with clinical work at the VA New Mexico Healthcare System
Teaching/Research: Schimmels’ focus is on trauma, trauma-informed care, post-traumatic stress disorder, and moral injury in military and veteran populations. She also studies nurse well-being, burnout and compassion fatigue, and the impact of trauma on nursing care.  

Sharon Jackson White, PhD, RN, CNN, FNP-BC, FNP-C
Assistant Clinical Professor
Previous Position: Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Clayton State University
Teaching/Research: White teaches a range of courses in graduate nursing programs (Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner tracks). Her scholarship focuses on palliative care and quality of life and spans qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

Huiwen Xu, PhD, MHA
Acting Associate Professor
Previous Position: Assistant Professor, University of Texas Medical Branch
Teaching/Research: Xu’s research examines staffing, quality, disparity and policy in nursing homes using national Medicare claims, resident assessments, and survey data. Xu also teaches health policy-related courses.

About the School of Nursing

As one of the nation's top nursing schools, the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University is committed to educating visionary nurse leaders and scholars. Ranked the No. 1 master's, No. 1 BSN, and No. 6 DNP programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the school offers undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and non-degree programs, bringing together cutting-edge resources, distinguished faculty, top clinical experiences, and access to leading health care partners to shape the future of nursing and impact health and well-being. Learn more at nursing.emory.edu.


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