Faculty Research

Research Experience

Alham Abuatiq Ph.D., RN, CNE has experience with mixed methods research, quantitative methods, instrument development and testing and qualitative methodology in the areas of nursing education, e-learning in nursing, using virtual patient learning systems, students learning experiences and stress perception and management for patients and healthcare providers. 

Interests

• Stress Perception and Management (Patients and Healthcare Providers)
• E-Learning in Nursing, Nursing Education, Tool Development 

Research Experience

Robin Arends, DNP, CNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CNE, FAAN, FAANP, has experience with quality Improvement and implementation science. She has been a part of interprofessional teams that implement and evaluate best practices and explore new healthcare approaches to improve the health of patient populations and the delivery of healthcare. 

Interests

• Mental Health
• Telehealth
• Chronic disease management/prevention/health promotion
• Military Health
• Complementary Medicine
• Advocacy/legislation, advanced practice issues, leadership

Research Experience

Brittany Brennan, Ph.D., RN, CHSE, CNE has experience with multiple methods of research including quantitative methods, instrument testing, systematic review protocol development and implementation, descriptive qualitative research and quality improvement conducted in the areas of simulation, nursing education and rural health nursing. 

Interests

• Nursing education
• Simulation
• Rural nursing/health

Research Experience

Robin Brown, Ph.D., RN, CNE is a quantitative researcher with experience in multiple regression analysis.

Interests

• Organizational change
• Stress and coping
• Rural health
• Health promotion
• Nursing education

Research Experience

Dannica Callies, DNP, CNP, FNP-C, CNE has experience in quality improvement projects, including serving as a chair or co-chair for Doctor of Nursing Practice projects, and has worked on research teams focused on nursing and healthcare. 

Interests

• Preventative healthcare
• Nurse practitioner education & clinical practice
• Rural healthcare
• Scholarship of teaching and learning
• Quality improvement

Research Experience

Cynthia Elverson, Ph. D., RN, CNE has experience in program planning and evaluation, quality improvement, quantitative research, observational measures and measurement reliability/validity. For more detailed information, please visit her profile by clicking on her name. 

Interests

• Maternal Child Population
• Stress/Resilience
• Attachment
• Social-Emotional Health

Research Experience

Karin Emery, Ph.D., RN has experience in quantitative research and healthcare quality improvement. She has served on Ph.D. and DNP student committees.

Interests

• Administration and leadership
• Biobehavioral research
• Quality of life, resilience, stress
• Diabetes and chronic disease management
• Student success

Research Experience

Theresa Garren-Grubbs, DNP, RN, CMSRN, CNL has experience with qualitative and mixed methods. She has served as a co-chair for DNP committees and as a committee member for Ph.D. students. 

Interests

• Rural health
• Social determinants of health
• Palliative care
• Advance care planning

Research Experience

Lori Hendrickx, RN, Ed.D., CCRN, CNL focuses on quantitative and mixed methods for research projects.

Interests

• Rural health
• Nursing education
• Emergency and critical care

Research Experience

Mary Isaacson, Ph.D., RN, RHNC, CHPN®, FPCN conducts multi-methods research with expertise in community-based participatory (CBPR), advanced qualitative methods (e.g., Hermeneutic phenomenology, thematic analysis) and quantitative methods in instrument development and testing.

Interests

• Palliative and end-of-life care/communication
• American Indian Health Disparities
• Health Equity and Structural Determinants of Health
• Culturally responsive care, diversity
• Rural Health Inequities

Research Experience

Michelle Lichtenberg, Ph.D., RN focuses on quantitative methods for research projects. She has experience in curriculum development and evaluation.

Interests

• Clinical judgment development among nursing students
• Nursing student success
• Transition to practice/practice readiness 

Research Experience

Sarah Mollman, Ph.D., RN, CHPN®, CNE® has experience in multiple research methods. Thematic analysis and formative evaluation to develop a clinical intervention entails her qualitative experience. Quantitative methodology experience includes instrument development and evaluation, network/coalition evaluation and intervention testing.

Interests

• Educational research
• Palliative and end-of-life care
• Oncology
• Rural health and access

Research Experience

Lea Niederbaumer, DNP, FNP, CNP-BC has experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methods with a focus on diabetes quality improvement and school and community-based health initiatives. 

Interests

• Women’s health
• School health
• Access to care
• Quality improvement

Research Experience

Christina Plemmons, Ph.D., RN, MEDSURGE-BC, CNE is a quantitative researcher who enjoys working with research teams and supporting PhD and DNP students in service as a chair, co-chair or member of student committees.

Interests

• Nursing education
• Clinical academic partnerships
• Clinical self-efficacy
• Clinical teamwork

Research Experience

Brandi Pravecek, DNP, CNP, FNP-BC has experience in quality improvement projects, implementation science and program planning and evaluation. She has been a member of interprofessional teams performing quantitative studies related to palliative care.

Interests

• Palliative and end-of-life care
• Rural health
• Homeless populations
• Primary care

Research Experience

Danielle Schievelbein, Ph.D., RN has experience in quantitative research methods, qualitative (case study) and mixed methods. She also has experience with quality improvement projects. She has served on DNP and Ph.D. student committees. 

Interests

• Chronic Disease Management
• Rural Nursing/Health
• Nursing Education
• Simulation
• Preventative Healthcare

Research Experience

Tom Stenvig, Ph.D., MPH, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN research methodology expertise includes quantitative methods and experience with questionnaire development and survey design, including Dillman’s total design method. I also have qualitative methodological experience following the Corbin and Strauss approach to grounded theory research and have advised several Ph.D. students using this method. 

Interests

• Provider immunization practices
• Refugee health
• American Indian health
• Theory of planned behavior
• Health belief model

Research Experience

Brandon Varilek, Ph.D., RN, PCCN-K, CCTC, CNE®, CHPN® is a multi-methodological researcher with expertise in advanced qualitative (Hermeneutic phenomenology) and quantitative methods (big data analysis; survival analysis).

Interests

• Health Equity & Social Determinants of Health
• Chronic disease management (end-stage kidney disease)
• Kidney transplantation
• American Indian/Native American health
• Palliative/end-of-life care

Research Experience

Jo Voss, Ph.D., RN, CNS has been involved with quantitative research methodology (descriptive, correlational, and quasi-experimental). In addition, she has experience with secondary analysis.

Interests

• Nursing education research
• Anxiety and stress management
• Complementary therapies
• Critical care clinical research

Research Experience

Alyssa Zweifel, Ph.D., RN, CHSE is an innovative researcher that focuses on quantitative and mixed methods research to further best practices through interprofessional and simulation-based learning approaches.  

Interests

• Healthcare Simulation
• Interprofessional education
• Team-based learning
• Ortho/Neuro clinical research

The following faculty are unavailable to serve on graduate student committees or are emerita status

Research Experience

Kay Foland, Ph.D., RN, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, CNP has expertise as a qualitative methodology researcher.

Interests

• Geriatrics/ Long term care
• Psychiatric issues
• Stress, resilience 

Research Experience

Mary Anne Krogh, Ph.D., APRN, CRNA, FAAN is a quantitative researcher with expertise in latent trait and item response theory, psychometrics, and test theory related to high stakes testing. 

Interests

• Psychometrics
• Testing theory
• Innovative item types
• High stakes examinations
• Item response/latent trait theory

Research Experience

Heidi Mennenga, Ph.D., RN, CNE® is the associate dean for academic programs in the College of Nursing. Her past research experience includes quantitative studies focused on nursing education related to student outcomes, best teaching practices and rural nursing.

Interests

• Student outcomes
• Team-based learning
• Undergraduate curriculum