Duke University School of Nursing Celebrates New Faculty Emeriti

A recent celebration held at the Washington Duke Inn brought together faculty, family, friends, and colleagues to recognize the newest members of the School's emeriti community and celebrate decades of service and impact.

"The title of Emeritus or Emerita is more than a recognition of years of service," Dean Michael V. Relf, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, said in his welcome remarks. "It reflects a legacy of impact. It is a testament to careers that have elevated Duke Nursing and expanded our reach locally, nationally, and globally."

The evening also welcomed returning faculty emeriti, whose continued engagement reflects the enduring connections that define Duke Nursing and its community of scholars, educators, and practitioners.

The newest faculty emeriti represent an extraordinary range of expertise and accomplishments. Together, they have shaped the education of future nurses, expanded nursing science, improved healthcare delivery, and strengthened communities locally and around the world.

The faculty recognized included:

• Donna Biederman, PhD, RN, FAAN, whose work has focused on health equity, social determinants of health, and expanding access to care for underserved populations. Through initiatives such as the Duke Community Health Improvement Partnership Program (D-CHIPP), the Mobile Prevention and Care Team Clinic, and Durham Homeless Care Transitions, she helped develop innovative nurse-led models that improve health outcomes and address community needs.
• Peggy Bush, PharmD, a renowned educator and scientist whose expertise spans pharmacy, pharmacology, clinical research, and healthcare administration. For more than two decades, she taught pharmacology to Duke Nursing students, helping prepare generations of clinicians with the scientific foundations needed for safe and effective patient care.
• Irene Felsman, PhD, RN, whose global career as a clinician, educator, and scholar has improved health and well-being across Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States. Her scholarship has focused on culturally responsive approaches to health promotion, particularly among refugee and immigrant communities.
• Bradi Granger, PhD, RN, FAAN, an internationally recognized cardiovascular nurse scientist who advanced nursing research through her leadership of the Duke Heart Center Nursing Research Program. Her innovative model for clinical inquiry and nursing research has been adopted by healthcare organizations in the United States and abroad, helping nurses integrate evidence into practice.
• Marilyn H. Oermann, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, one of nursing education's most influential scholars. As the author or co-author of 38 award-winning books and more than 240 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Oermann has transformed nursing education, strengthened scholarly writing, and influenced educators and students around the world.
• Susan Silva, PhD, a statistical scientist, educator and mentor whose expertise in biostatistics and research methodology helped prepare doctoral and clinical doctoral students to conduct rigorous research and address complex healthcare challenges. Her contributions have strengthened nursing science and interdisciplinary research across Duke.
• Chris Simmons, DNP, CRNA, whose career in nurse anesthesia education combined clinical excellence, educational leadership, and innovation. A pioneer in simulation-based learning, she helped prepare future nurse anesthetists through both classroom and clinical instruction while advancing more inclusive and patient-centered approaches to care.
• Deirdre K. Thornlow, PhD, RN, a distinguished nurse leader and educator whose scholarship has advanced understanding of healthcare quality, patient safety and the care of older adults. As the inaugural elected chair of Duke Nursing's Doctor of Nursing Practice program, she helped shape the preparation of future nursing leaders and quality improvement experts.

Throughout the evening, Dean Relf emphasized that the influence of the new emeriti extends far beyond their individual accomplishments.

"Each of our new emeriti has left a lasting mark not only through their individual accomplishments, but through the countless students, faculty, and communities they have changed along the way," he said.

The celebration concluded with the recognition of both returning and newly named faculty emeriti, highlighting the collective impact of a group whose careers have strengthened Duke University School of Nursing and advanced the nursing profession for generations.

As members of the School's distinguished emeriti community, their legacies will continue to inspire future nurses, educators, researchers and healthcare leaders while helping shape the future of nursing at Duke and beyond.