University of Pennsylvania Nursing School Associate Dean for Research & Innovation and LDI Senior Fellow Therese Richmond has been named the 2017 recipient of the Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Episteme Award, one of nursing science’s most prestigious honors.

The annual award, which is presented to an individual or team for highly significant research, is supported by the Baxter International Foundation and a $15,000 stipend. The presentation will occur at the STTI 44th Biennial Convention in Indianapolis later this month where Richmond will be the keynote speaker.

Therese Richmond of Penn’s Nursing School.

Richmond, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, a Professor at both the Nursing School and Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, is being honored for her work on the psychological effects of violence and injury.

Public benefit
The Episteme award (the word is an ancient Greek term referring to scientific knowlege) was established in 1989 to acknowledge nurse scientists who have “contributed significantly to nursing knowledge development, application or discovery that resulted in a recognizable and sizable benefit to the public.”

Richmond’s research into injury and recovery from violence, as well as violence prevention, has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Nursing Research, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the CDC-funded Penn Injury Science Center and of the Executive Committee of the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. A fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, she is also an advisor on the Federal Advisory Committee to the Secretary for National Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Objectives for 2030.
 
Violence and injury
Over the past three decades, Richmond has been passionate in her efforts to apply rigorous science to help address the problems of violence and injury that impact individuals, families and communities. Her research has focused on improving recovery from serious injury by addressing the interaction between physical injury and its psychological repercussions. 
 
“Baxter International Foundation is honored to fund the Episteme Award and recognize a groundbreaking researcher, educator, and advocate for all people affected by injury and violence, Dr. Therese Richmond,” said Stacey T. Eisen, President of Baxter International Foundation and Senior Vice President, Global Communications, Baxter International Inc. “We are committed to recognizing excellence in nursing research and practice through our longstanding partnership with Sigma Theta Tau International.”

Psychological effects of trauma
“Dr. Richmond’s work shines a light on the psychological effects of trauma and how they impact the quality of recovery,” said STTI President Cathy Catrambone, PhD, RN, FAAN. “I am pleased to honor Dr. Richmond with the Episteme Award and provide a platform for her to share her research and influence the more than 2,000 nurses, researchers, and educators who will attend our convention.”

Baxter International, Inc., is a Fortune 500 medical equipment company headquartered in Deerfield, Ill. The Baxter International Foundation supports initiatives and organizations that make a positive and lasting impact on increasing access to healthcare for underserved populations.

STTI is an international nonprofit organization that advocates and supports nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service. Founded in 1922, it has more than 135,000 active members in over 90 countries and territories. STTI’s 520 chapters are located at more than 700 institutions of higher education around the world.