Awards and honors

Associate Professor Cynthia Bradley, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE, ANEF, was selected to deliver the Debra L. Spunt Memorial Lecture at the NLN Education Summit. From Headsets to Datasets: Empowering Nurse Educators to Use AI in Immersive Simulation and Beyond explored how nurse educators can maximize artificial intelligence to transform simulation-based learning and extend its impact across the curriculum.

Associate Professor Rozina Bhimani, PhD, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CNE, CRRN, FARN, was named a Fellow of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses. She also received the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences Alumni Achievement Award.

Professor Donna Bliss, PhD, RN, FGSA, WOCNF, FAAN, was elected to the Scientific Committee of the International Continence Society. She also was named as a 2024 Top Scholar by ScholarGPS.

Susan Gross Forneris, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE-A, FAAN, professor and associate dean for academic programs, was selected as a Fellow for induction into the National League for Nursing Academy of Nursing Education.

Clinical Associate Professor Elena Geiger-Simpson, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PHN, was selected for the inaugural Faculty Fellow Cohort of the University Psychedelic Education Program. She also received the Clinical Excellence Honor from University of Minnesota Physicians.

Professor Mary Hearst, PhD, was named a Fulbright Specialist by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and World Learning.

Clinical Associate Professor Jenna Herman, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, was elected to the Minnesota Nurse Practitioners Association board of directors as secretary and elected to the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Faculty Institute Committee. 

Clinical Assistant Professor Elizabeth Hopfenspirger, DNP, APRN, CNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, was elected for the inaugural Faculty Fellow Cohort of the University Psychedelic Education Program. 

Associate Professor Martin Michalowski, PhD, FAMIA, was elected co-chair of the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine society. 

Professor Margaret Moss, PhD, JD, RN, FAAN, FADLN, was awarded the Manzer Award for outstanding humanitarian effort in professional nursing from New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. 

Associate Professor Leso Munala, PhD, was elected to serve a three-year term on the Sexual Misconduct Hearing Committee.

Professor Carolyn Porta, PhD, MPH, RN, SANE-A, FAAN, FNAP, received the 2025 DAISY Nurse Leader Award in Forensic Nursing — Forensic Nursing Scholar.

Clinical Assistant Professor Ryne Wilson, DNP, RN, OCN, CNE, was named to this year’s class of 40 Under 40 in Cancer by the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care.