Presentations
During the past two years, Dr. Ann Butt has participated in the Research Special Interest Group within the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Dr. Butt and interest group members presented a panel discussion titled Global Voices, Shared Barriers: Unpacking the Challenges of Competency Assessment at the annual International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) in San Antonio. IMSH is the largest and most comprehensive conference for healthcare simulation educators, administrators, operations specialists, clinicians, and researchers across healthcare, academia, and industry.
Dr. Gwen Latendresse gave a podium presentation titled Innovations in Clinical Education Models in Nursing: A Nationwide Query at the American Association of Colleges Doctoral Education Conference in Bonita Springs.
Events
Dr. Cathy Maxwell and the American Academy of Nursing Expert Panel on Aging – in collaboration with Expert Panels on Health Behavior and Genomic Nursing and Health Care – will host a policy dialogue titled Ageism: Removing Stereotypes through a Geroscience Lens on February 3, 2026. The event will feature three distinguished speakers – Dr. Margaret Wallhagen, Dr. Terry Fulmer, and Dr. Timothy Farrell – who will focus on aging as a biological process, and describe opportunities for nurses to contribute to geroscience through a holistic approach that addresses ageism, while mitigating the effects of chronic diseases and increasing life expectancy and health span. Amen Koutowogbe created a video that will open the policy dialogue, along with three short stories that illustrate varied paths that people follow as they age. Gabriel Mayberry and Dani Hartin prepared advertisements and posted about the event on social media.
As lead of the College of Nursing Hartford Center for Gerontological Nursing Excellence, Dr. Cathy Maxwell launched a monthly virtual series called Aging in Utah Today. Experts in aging – from health care providers and researchers to community workers – will speak about the biology of a longer life and research on the horizon, and foster gero-interprofessional exchange about University of Utah initiatives that promote age-friendly care and excellence in gerontology education. On January 21, Dr. Zachary Fennel delivered a presentation titled Improving Muscle Health and Recovery in Older Adults, and Dr. Tim Farrell, Dr. Alayne Markland, and Andrea Harris spoke about age-friendly healthcare. Attendees also watched a short video about three aging stories.
University Service
Kristan Tunks was selected to participate as a member of the newly-formed Student Communications Council (SCC). As part of the Student Experience Project, the SCC is leading efforts to strengthen how the University of Utah engages with students throughout their journey. Goals include reducing message overload, improving clarity and aligning communications with key milestones, and ensuring every student receives the right information at the right time, supporting their success both inside and outside the classroom.
Certification
Dr. Megan Thomas Hebdon achieved Advanced Practice Holistic Nursing board certification (APHN-BC) through the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation. The up to 250 question exam and awarded certification validates Dr. Thomas Hebdon’s knowledge in the areas of 1) holistic philosophy, theories, and ethics, 2) holistic nurse self-reflection, self-development, and self-care, 3), holistic caring process, 4) holistic communication, therapeutic relationships, healing environments, and cultural care, and 5) holistic education and research.
Global Partnership
Dr. Deanna Kepka and Dr. Lisa Taylor-Swanson participated in College of Nursing intramurally-funded research in Guatemala concerning prevention of human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV self-testing, and training lay midwives about acupressure techniques. More recently, they are extending their work to Puerto Rico. Dr. Kepka led efforts to establish a Memorandum of Understanding between the School of Nursing of the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus with the College of Nursing. The purpose of the agreement is to enable collaboration between the two institutions, providing opportunities for academic exchange and cooperation in education, research, and clinical service.
Professional Development
Course coordinators invited Dr. Moroni Fernandez Cajavilca, Postdoctoral Fellow, to attend the 2026 Short Course: Advancing Cross-national Research on Aging and Cognitive Function Using the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP), and Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Held in San Antonio, the week-long training will include attending thematic lectures and presentations of case studies, and participating in small group discussion about using harmonized datasets to conduct and publish cross-national research. Follow-on online meetings and presentations will take place during upcoming months.
Publications
Badgett N, Taylor-Swanson L, Quist S, Price J, Villanueva J. Experiences of autistic women in menopause: Brief review and recommendations for practice and research. Front Reprod Health Sec Menopause. Epub ahead of print.
Bigger SE, Perez-Greenemeier S, Matovu S, Nuñez SC. Respiro: A global learning experience for the international development of Latino palliative care. J Hosp Palliat Nurs. Accepted.
Taylor-Swanson L, Lowe N, Dutton R, Quist S, Maylett N, Jacobs M, Osgood-Campbell E, Anderson B. ACUAWARE: Protocol of a prospective clinical study using an electronic health record to capture outcomes associated with chronic pain for patients undergoing acupuncture treatment. Pilot Feasibility Stud. Epub ahead of print.
Thompson J, Rivelli J, Gautom P, Petrik A, Najarian M, Edelmann A, Villega L, Slagle R, Christini K, Coronado G, Kepka D. Co-creating HPV vaccination messages for rural Washington: Application of a boot camp translation approach. Health Educ Behav. 2025. Epub ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1177/10901981251399649
In Other News
Congratulations to Dr. Kirsten Schmutz and her husband Hans on the arrival of Eleonora Anne Schmutz. Born on January 19, 2026, at 2:52 AM, Eleonora weighed 8 lbs, 3 oz, and was 20.5 inches long. Kirsten and baby Eleonora are doing well.