Carol Estwing Ferrans to be invested as Harriet H. Werley Endowed Chair in Nursing Research
Carol Estwing Ferrans, PhD '85, MS '82, RN, FAAN, professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, will be invested in a ceremony on April 5, 2018, as the Harriet H. Werley Endowed Chair in Nursing Research in the UIC College of Nursing. The Werley Chair is a high honor and is designated for a faculty member who has an outstanding program of nursing research and leadership.
"Dr. Ferrans is exceptionally well qualified and most deserving of this honor," says Dean Terri E. Weaver.
Ferrans is internationally recognized for her innovative research in quality-of-life issues in healthcare. She developed the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index (QLI), which has been translated into 21 languages and used throughout the world. More than 300 research studies have been published using the QLI, with more than 900 published citations of the first publication alone. In addition to the QLI, Ferrans' research extends to health disparities, particularly cancer as it relates to the difference in outcomes for African-American and Caucasian breast cancer survivors. She has led a Chicagowide campaign to address deplorable mortality rates for African-American women. Her leadership resulted in increased funding to address disparities and in legislation (The Illinois Reducing Breast Cancer Disparities Act) which was signed into law in 2009. Throughout her career, Ferrans has garnered a distinguished record of funding totaling $56 million with an extensive number of publications.
Ferrans has been recognized with many prestigious awards such as the Distinguished Researcher of the Oncology of Nursing Society, Distinguished Contributions to Research Award from the Midwest Nursing Research Society, induction into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, and University Scholar Award from the President of the University of Illinois.
"Dr. Ferrans has achieved extraordinary productivity and has brought a great deal of honor to our college," adds Weaver. "We look forward to her continued excellence as the Harriet H. Werley Endowed Chair in Nursing Research."