Research Areas
College of Nursing faculty members serve the dual mission of disciplinary research and professional teaching.
If you are a graduate student seeking committee members, all graduate faculty listed above the gray line may serve as graduate student advisory committee members. Per the College of Nursing Performance Standards, DNP projects are chaired by a DNP faculty member and Ph.D. dissertations are chaired by a Ph.D. faculty member. DNP and Ph.D. faculty may co-chair project or dissertation committees.
Research Experience
Robin Arends, DNP, CNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CNE, FAAN, FAANP, has experience with quality Improvement and implementation science. She has been a part of interprofessional teams that implement and evaluate best practices and explore new healthcare approaches to improve the health of patient populations and the delivery of healthcare.
Interests
- Mental health
- Telehealth
- Chronic disease management/prevention/health promotion
- Military health
- Complementary medicine
- Advocacy/legislation, advanced practice issues, leadership
Research Experience
Brittany Brennan, Ph.D., RN, CHSE, CNE has experience with multiple methods of research including quantitative methods, instrument testing, systematic review protocol development and implementation, descriptive qualitative research and quality improvement conducted in the areas of simulation, nursing education and rural health nursing.
Interests
- Nursing education
- Simulation
- Rural nursing/health
Robin Brown
Associate Professor (Brookings)
College of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Department of Graduate Nursing
Research Experience
Robin Brown, Ph.D., RN, CNE is a quantitative researcher with experience in multiple regression analysis.
Interests
- Organizational change
- Stress and coping
- Rural health
- Health promotion
- Nursing education
Dannica Callies
Clinical Assistant Professor (Sioux Falls)
College of Nursing
Department of Graduate Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Research Experience
Dannica Callies, DNP, CNP, FNP-C, CNE has experience in quality improvement projects, including serving as a chair or co-chair for Doctor of Nursing Practice projects and has worked on research teams focused on nursing and healthcare.
Interests
- Preventative healthcare
- Nurse practitioner education and clinical practice
- Rural healthcare
- Scholarship of teaching and learning
- Quality improvement
Nicole Carlson
Assistant Professor
College of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Department of Graduate Nursing
Research Experience
Nicole Carlson, Ph.D., RN has experience advanced qualitative (Hermeneutic phenomenology) research, specifically in the long-term care setting.
Interests
- Gerontology
- Nursing education
- Rural nursing and rural health
Karin Emery
Assistant Academic Dean for Cooperative Programs (Brookings and Sioux Falls)
College of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Department of Graduate Nursing
Research Experience
Karin Emery, Ph.D., RN has experience in quantitative research and healthcare quality improvement. She has served on Ph.D. and DNP student committees.
Interests
- Administration and leadership
- Biobehavioral research
- Quality of life, resilience, stress
- Diabetes and chronic disease management
- Student success
Theresa Garren-Grubbs
Clinical Assistant Professor (Brookings)
College of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Department of Graduate Nursing
Research Experience
Theresa Garren-Grubbs, DNP, RN, CMSRN, CNL has experience with qualitative and mixed methods. She has served as a co-chair for DNP committees and as a committee member for Ph.D. students.
Interests
- Rural health
- Social determinants of health
- Palliative care
- Advance care planning
Research Experience
Lori Hendrickx, RN, Ed.D., CCRN, CNL focuses on quantitative and mixed methods for research projects.
Interests
- Rural health
- Nursing education
- Emergency and critical care
Research Experience
Mary Isaacson, Ph.D., RN, RHNC, CHPN®, FPCN conducts multi-methods research with expertise in community-based participatory (CBPR), advanced qualitative methods (e.g., Hermeneutic phenomenology, thematic analysis) and quantitative methods in instrument development and testing.
Interests
- Palliative and end-of-life care/communication
- American Indian health disparities
- Health equity and structural determinants of health
- Culturally responsive care, diversity
- Rural health inequities
Research Experience
Michelle Lichtenberg, Ph.D., RN focuses on quantitative methods for research projects. She has experience in curriculum development and evaluation.
Interests
- Clinical judgment development among nursing students
- Nursing student success
- Transition to practice/practice readiness
Research Experience
Sarah Mollman, Ph.D., RN, CHPN®, CNE® has experience in multiple research methods. Thematic analysis and formative evaluation to develop a clinical intervention entails her qualitative experience. Quantitative methodology experience includes instrument development and evaluation, network/coalition evaluation and intervention testing.
Interests
- Educational research
- Palliative and end-of-life care
- Oncology
- Rural health and access
Sarah Mollman
Associate Dean of Research and Ph.D. Program Director (Rapid City)
College of Nursing
Nursing Research
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Department of Graduate Nursing
Lea Niederbaumer
Clinical Assistant Professor (Aberdeen)
College of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Research Experience
Lea Niederbaumer, DNP, FNP, CNP-BC has experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methods with a focus on diabetes quality improvement and school and community-based health initiatives.
Interests
- Women’s health
- School health
- Access to care
- Quality improvement
Christina Plemmons
Assistant Academic Dean for Cooperative Programs (Rapid City and Aberdeen)
College of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Department of Graduate Nursing
Research Experience
Christina Plemmons, Ph.D., RN, MEDSURGE-BC, CNE is a quantitative researcher who enjoys working with research teams and supporting Ph.D. and DNP students in service as a chair, co-chair or member of student committees.
Interests
- Nursing education
- Clinical academic partnerships
- Clinical self-efficacy
- Clinical teamwork
Brandi Pravecek
Clinical Associate Professor (Sioux Falls)
College of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Department of Graduate Nursing
Research Experience
Brandi Pravecek, DNP, CNP, FNP-BC has experience in quality improvement projects, implementation science and program planning and evaluation. She has been a member of interprofessional teams performing quantitative studies related to palliative care.
Interests
- Palliative and end-of-life care
- Rural health
- Homeless populations
- Primary care
Danielle Schievelbein
Assistant Professor (Brookings)
College of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Department of Graduate Nursing
Research Experience
Danielle Schievelbein, Ph.D., RN has experience in quantitative research methods, qualitative (case study) and mixed methods. She also has experience with quality improvement projects. She has served on DNP and Ph.D. student committees.
Interests
- Chronic Disease Management
- Rural Nursing/Health
- Nursing Education
- Simulation
- Preventative Healthcare
Alyssa Zweifel
Director of the Healthcare Simulation Center/ Assistant Professor (Sioux Falls)
College of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Research Experience
Alyssa Zweifel, Ph.D., RN, CHSE is an innovative researcher that focuses on quantitative and mixed methods research to further best practices through interprofessional and simulation-based learning approaches.
Interests
- Healthcare simulation
- Interprofessional education
- Team-based learning
- Ortho/Neuro clinical research