Faculty, students mark 50 years of the Midwest Nursing Research Society conference
About the conference
UIC Nursing students pose in a photo booth at the MNRS conference
UIC College of Nursing faculty and students joined their colleagues from across the Midwest to mark the 50th anniversary of the Midwest Nursing Research Society’s annual conference. The conference was held from March 30 to April 2 in St. Louis.
This year’s conference explored the theme, “50 Years of Nursing Science: Innovating and Inspiring the Future.”
Students from the across the college’s programs (PhD, Doctor of Nursing Practice, master’s and bachelor’s) presented research projects at the conference. Undergraduate student Marisol Flores Montoya received second place in the BSN poster competition, and four faculty received awards from Research & Implementation Interest Groups.
- Associate professor Shannon Halloway, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA, was selected as the 2026 recipient of two awards: the Mid-Career Award from the Health Promoting Behaviors Across the Lifespan RIIG and the Mid-Career Working Group Excellence Award.
- Associate professor Kamal Eldeirawi, PhD, RN, FAAN, was selected for the Senior Career Award from the Health Promoting Behaviors Across the Lifespan RIIG.
- Assistant professor Sadandaula Rose Muheriwa-Matemba, PhD, MScMid, BScNEd, DipN, RNM, was selected for the Early Career Award from the Implementation and Translational Science RIIG.
- PhD student Thanakrit (Ten) Jeamjitvibool was selected for the Gerontological Nursing RIIG Student Publication Award.
The following students presented research at the conference:
- PhD students: Pei Chen (advisor: Laurie Quinn); Rita Omuero (advisor: Natasha Crooks); Shimada Sotaro (advisor: Ardith Doorenbos)
- DNP students: Justin L. Camacho (advisor: Cathy Yonkaitis); Andrea Nofsinger (advisor: Lauren Diegel-Vacek); Kelly Hill (advisor: Rebecca Vortman)
- Master’s student: Emma Lachs (advisor: Krista Jones)
- BSN students: Janna Janthapaiboonkajon, BSN ’25, and Marisol Flores Montoya (advisor: Ariel Smith-Malonga)
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Modified on April 09, 2026