Dear Friends of the Office of Nursing Research & Innovation (ONR&I) –
As this academic year comes to an end, I would like to recognize the many achievements of our SON faculty and students as well as the ONR&I staff who quietly power them behind the scenes.
In fiscal year 2026, 74 grant applications were submitted by faculty and students with the support of ONR&I pre-award staff and more than 20 million dollars in grant funding was managed with the support of ONR&I post-award staff. In addition, 6 faculty received pilot funding through the Research Intramural Funding Program (RIFP), 16 faculty received funding for conference travel, and 3 faculty received funding for ancillary research costs. Moreover, ONR&I supported the Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) Research & Information Exchange for 12 poster presentations, organized 8 ‘Lunch & Learn’ research seminars, developed 2 specialized training sessions, and conducted a writing support session.
ONR&I and the Digital Health Innovation Hub (DHIH) also helped convene the RAIN Summit (Reimagine AI in Nursing), which was a tremendous success. The summit drew 175 registered attendees, with an additional 50 on the waitlist, reflecting strong interest in the future of AI in nursing and healthcare. This highly interactive, forward-looking event brought together leaders across healthcare, academia, industry, policy, and technology to explore how AI can responsibly strengthen care delivery and the health workforce. Focused on real-world use cases, workforce readiness, and cross-sector collaboration, the summit emphasized practical impact and left participants with actionable insights and new connections.
This work highlights SON’s strong research infrastructure supporting faculty research through the grant lifecycle; an invaluable intramural funding program supporting the development of faculty research leading to extramural funding; and the provision of critical opportunities for research activities related to travel, training, and scholarship, along with opportunities for meaningful collaboration and connection.
I would also like to thank Dr. Allison Webel for her unwavering leadership in the role of Associate Dean for Research and Innovation (ADRI) over the past five years. She has made enormous contributions to the SON and to each of us individually. She will be missed as we wish her well in her new role as the Dean of the University of Michigan SON.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude for all the support that I have received in my new interim role as ADRI. I am honored to be in this position and look forward to doing all I can to carry on the mission. I feel energized and hopeful as we move forward together to meet the challenges of our times.
I wish you all a happy and restful summer.
Best,
Maria