Emory nursing PhD students receive National Institutes of Health predoctoral fellowship
September 1, 2026
Emory nursing PhD students Molly Szczech (left) and Caitlin I. Webster have been awarded the highly competitive Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institutes of Health.
Emory University nursing PhD students Molly Szczech, RN, BSN, and Caitlin I. Webster, MSN, RN, CPHON, have been awarded the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institutes of Health.
This highly competitive F31 award supports promising doctoral students conducting mentored research that contributes to the nation’s health-related research needs.
Szczech’s award will support her research project, “Optimizing Outcomes in Obstetrics: Cesarean Delivery Appropriateness Nationally.” The study seeks to understand how cesarean deliveries are used across the United States and whether community factors, particularly poverty, influence cesarean delivery patterns, with the goal of reducing serious maternal complications nationwide. Associate Professor Nicole Carlson, PhD, FACNM, FAAN, serves as Szczech’s faculty mentor.
Webster’s award will support her project, titled “Food Insecurity, Diet Quality, and the Oral Microbiome: Implications for Chemotherapy-Induced Oral Mucositis in Pediatric B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients.” The study will explore whether children with leukemia who have limited access to healthy foods or differences in their oral bacteria are more likely to develop severe mouth sores during chemotherapy, with the long-term goal of identifying ways to reduce suffering during treatment. Associate Professor Jinbing Bai, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, is Webster’s faculty mentor.
“The F31 award is one of the most competitive federal fellowships available to doctoral students, and having two of Emory’s emerging nurse scientists earn this recognition is a testament to both the quality of their scholarship and the significance of the questions they’re pursuing,” says PhD program co-director Nicholas Giordano, PhD, RN, FAAN. “We’re proud to see their work receive this level of national support.”
Szczech’s research is supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under grant F31NR022394. A total of $94,542 — 100% of the project — was financed with federal funds.
Webster’s research is supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under grant F31NR021848. A total of $106,228 — 100% of the project — was financed with federal funds.
The content of both projects is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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. 2 BSN, and No. 2 DNP programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the school offers undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and non-degree programs. It brings together cutting-edge resources, distinguished faculty, top clinical experiences and access to leading healthcare partners to shape the future of nursing and improve health and well-being.
