The first time I attended a professional nursing conference was in November 2001. The National Student Nurses Mid-Year Conference was held in Reno, Nevada (my first and only time in a Nevada casino). As a junior nursing student from Youngstown, Ohio, traveling across the country for “work” was novel and exciting. It was just shy of two months since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Despite the specter of that tragedy, I distinctly remember the strength, sense of purpose, community and optimism held by the hundreds of nursing students from across the United States who attended that conference. In the decades since, I have attended hundreds of professional and scientific meetings globally. Whether held locally or in exotic, faraway places, the undeniable value of scientific exchange, creative energy, serendipity, collegiality and friendship generated in these meetings is constant.
As a formal process by which to know truth, science began centuries ago, and convening scientists from around the globe to share and debate their findings is almost as old. Observation, experimentation, reason and dissemination are creative, disciplined and rigorous processes. The value of scientific gatherings lies in exchanging ideas with colleagues, which not only refines and enhances existing concepts but also stimulates new research ideas, questions methodologies and generates support, enthusiasm and creative energy for ongoing scientific inquiries.
Twice a year, the Office for Nursing Research & Innovation is honored to distribute philanthropically supported travel gifts that support research-related travel for our faculty. For our spring 2025 awardees, the range of conferences is impressive, covering meetings traditionally attended by our faculty, including the Western Institute of Nursing and the AACN Doctoral Conference. However, UW School of Nursing faculty are also presenting their science to specialty communities, including simulation professionals, exercise and aging audiences in both Brazil and France and transplantation.
The intention of these awards is primarily for the attendees’ professional development. They provide an opportunity to share their science, gain visibility as leaders in their fields, broaden their professional networks and form new research collaborations—all experiences that are required for academic promotion. A secondary intention is for attendees to share the knowledge gained at these meetings with our broader UW School of Nursing community. As they return from these meetings, each attendee will share lessons learned with us via the Weekly Research Roundup. By sharing the knowledge gained at conferences, these faculty will empower our UW School of Nursing community to learn, innovate and grow together, fostering a culture of high-impact research and scholarship that will underpin our collective success.