Current PhD Students and Research Areas » College of Nursing

BSN to PhD

Jerry Armah

Faculty Mentor: Angela Starkweather, PhD, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN

Ailiya Bai

Faculty Mentor: Angela Starkweather, PhD, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN

Keliy Fordham, BSN, RN

Hometown: Sarasota, Florida
Area of Research: Machine Learning, Necrotizing Enterocolitis, and Preterm Infants
Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, APRN, NNP-BC, FAAN
Affiliations: UF Shand’s Child’s Hospital, Florida Nurses Association, National Association of Neonatal Nurses.
Honors/Awards: Predoctoral Fellow in the CTS Team TL1 Predoctoral Training Program, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, Melissa and Marc Inglese Research Award.
Scholarships: Ruth Hay and Hans Schrader Nursing Scholarship/Fellowship Fund and the Walter and Louise Sutcliffe Scholarship Fund.

Gina Gehling, BSN, RN

Hometown: Bentonville, Arkansas
Area of Research: Genomic Profiling of Breast Cancer-Related Health Outcomes
Faculty Mentor: Jennifer R. Dungan, PhD, MSN, RN and Angela Starkweather, PhD, ACNP-BC, FAANP
Affiliations: Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, Sigma Theta Tau, Southern Nursing Research Society, International Association for the Study of Pain, American Association for Cancer Research
Honors/Awards: Thomas H. Maren Scholarship for Doctoral Nursing Students (2021-2022, 2022-2023), North Florida Doctoral Consortium, College of Nursing Endowed Scholarship, Nursing Grinter Award, Iona M. Pettengill Graduate Fellowship in Public and Community Outreach Nursing

Jenisha Giri, BSN, RN

Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal
Area of Research: Breast Cancer
Faculty Mentor: Debra Lyon, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN
Honors/Awards: UF College of Nursing Graduate Assistantship Award, Grinter Fellowship

Christina Grinstead, BSN, RN

Hometown: Gainesville, Florida
Area of Research: Nutrition in pancreatic cancer
Faculty Mentor: Saunjoo Yoon, PhD, RN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, Southern Nursing Research Society, Oncology Nursing Society
Honors and Awards: Brightest Students to Faculty Scholarship

Larissa Iapicca, BSN, RN-BC

Hometown: Micanopy, Florida
Area of Research: Breastfeeding and congenital heart disease
Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, ARNP, NNP-BC, FAAN
Honors and Awards: Robert Wood Johnson Future of Nursing Scholar

Simone Jackson, BSN, RN

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Area of Research: Alternative therapies for pain control
Faculty Mentor: Staja Booker, PhD, RN
Affiliations: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
Honors and Awards: Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Nursing Scholarship

Railton Miranda

Hometown: Manaus, Brazil
Area of Research: HIV, vulnerable population, and health informatics.
Faculty Mentor: Hwayoung Cho, PhD, RN
Honors/Awards: UF College of Nursing Graduate Assistantship Award

Elham Samami Kojidi

Faculty Mentor: Debra Lyon, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN & Debra Kelly, PhD, RN, OCN, CNE, FAAN
Affiliations: International Association of Clinical Research Nursing
Honors and Awards: Latin American/Caribbean (LAC) Award; College of Nursing Endowed Scholarship Award

Rigan Louis, FNP

Hometown: Léogâne, Haiti
Area of Research: Infectious disease, health promotion, vulnerable populations
Faculty Mentor: Michael Weaver, PhD, RN, FAAN
Affiliations: International Association of Clinical Research Nursing
Honors and Awards: Latin American/Caribbean (LAC) Award; College of Nursing Endowed Scholarship Award

Janet Northcote, BSN, RN, CCRN

Hometown: Miami, Florida
Area of Research: AI technology for predictive translational research in the NICU
Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, ARNP, NNP-BC, FAAN and Marion Bendixen, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC
Affiliations: Standing Treasurer for the Alpha Theta Chapter at UF, American Association of Critical Care Nurses
Honors and Awards: DeLuca Nursing Scholarship, Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society

MSN to PhD

Mohammed Alrashidi

Hometown: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
Area of Research: Cardiovascular Care
Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Dungan, PhD, MSN
Affiliations: University of Tabuk
Honors/Awards: Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission

Shuruq Alsayed, BSN, MSN-FNP, RN

Hometown: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Area of Research: Mental health and well-being, psychosocial and psychiatric; autism
Name of Faculty Mentor: Angela Starkweather, PhD, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, The American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Honors and Awards: Highest Mark New Graduate Development Program, Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission

Sarah Alzahid AGACNP, RN-BC

Hometown: Khobar, Saudi Arabia
Area of Research: Advanced nursing practice workforce
Faculty Mentor: Angela Starkweather, PhD, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau Chapter Rho, Emergency Nurses Associations, Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners
Honors/Awards: Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University – College of Nursing

Hussah Bubshait MSN, RN

Hometown: Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Area of Research: Breastfeeding, kangaroo care and neonatal disorders
Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, ARNP, NNP-BC, FAAN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
Honors and Awards: Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia

Alexandria Carey, MSN, MBA-HC, RN, CEN, CPEN, CNE

Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Area of Research: Emergency medicine, nursing education, pain management
Faculty Mentor: Angela Starkweather, PhD, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau, Emergency Nurses Association
Honors/Awards: Cum Laude, National Nightingale Award (for excellence in nursing education), Leader of the Quarter, Certified Nurse Educator, Certified Emergency Nurse, Certified Emergency Pediatric Nurse

Elizabeth (Mendy) Dunn, MSN, RN, ACRP-CP, NE-BC

Hometown: Milton, Florida
Area of Research: Informatics and health systems research
Faculty Mentor: Jane Carrington, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAMIA
Affiliations: American Nurses Association, Florida Nurses Association, Florida Organization of Nurse Executives, Emergency Nurses Association, International Association of Clinical Research Nursing
Honors/Awards: DeLuca Scholar

Lisa Johnson (Gawronski), MSN, APRN

Hometown: Merritt Island, Florida
Area of Research: Pediatric obesity, nursing informatics, digital health technology
Faculty Mentor: Gail Keenan, PhD, RN, FAAN
Affiliations: Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA)-AACN; National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)
Honors and Awards: University of Florida College of Nursing Graduate Assistantship Award

Olatunde Madandola MPH, BSN, RN

Hometown: Nigeria
Area of Research: Nursing Informatics
Faculty Mentors: Gail Keenan, PhD, RN, FAAN, & Ragnhildur Bjarnadottir, PhD, MPH
Affiliations: Golden Key International Honor Society
Honors and Awards: Grinter Award, and Emanuel and Raidie P. Merdinger Scholarship Fund Award

Dennine McCadden, MSN-ED, RN

Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Area of Research: Pain and the Aging Adult with Dementia
Faculty Mentor: Ann Horgas, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN, FAAN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau, AORN, FNA
Honors and Awards: Grinter Award, College of Nursing Scholarship

Angela Monk, BSN, MPH, RN, IBCLC

Hometown: Gainesville, Florida
Area of research: Neonatal nutrition and human lactation
Faculty mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, ARNP, NNP-BC, FAAN
Honors and Awards: Arlene P McKitrick Grad Scholarship

Blessing Okorie

Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, ARNP, NNP-BC, FAAN

Isaac Payton, MSN, MBA, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Hometown: Plum Branch, South Carolina
Area of Research: LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Disparities
Faculty Mentor: Debra Lyon, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau; Zeta Pi Chapter
Honors and Awards: McKnight Fellowship

Jennifer Pruitt, MSN, RN, CNM, ARNP

Hometown: Gainesville, Florida
Area of Research: Neonatal hypoglycemia, preterm infants and glucose gel
Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, ARNP, NNP-BC, FAAN
Affiliations: UF Health Shands, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
Honors and Awards: Research Fellowship – UF Health, North Florida Doctoral Consortium Scholarship, Brightest Students to Faculty

Magali Rezende de Carvalho, MSN, APRN, CWOCN

Hometown: Itauna, Brazil
Area of Research: Complex wounds
Faculty Mentor: Debra Lyon, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society; Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nurses Society; Northeast Florida Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners
Honors and Awards: UF College of Nursing Graduate Assistantship Award, F. Eugene Tubbs Critical Burn Nursing Scholarship, Walter and Louise Sutcliffe Scholarship Foundation

Alya Sumait, MSN, RN

Hometown: Saudi Arabia
Area of Research: Leadership and management

John Stephen, MSN, NE-BC

Hometown: Gainesville, Florida
Area of Research: Sickle Cell pain and related systems issues
Faculty Mentor: Diana Wilkie, PhD, RN, FAAN
Affiliations: Florida Organization of Nurse Executives
Honors/Awards: Arlene P. McKitrick Scholarship

Jianli Wu, MSN, RN

Hometown: China
Area of Research: Pain Management
Faculty Mentor: Ann L Horgas, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN, FAAN and Staja Booker, PhD, RN
Honors and Awards: Emanuel and Raidie P. Merdinger Scholarship

Hyehwan Yang

Faculty Mentor: Ragnhildur Bjarnadottir, PhD, MPH