Published Oct. 21, 2019
The University of Louisiana Monroe Office of Sponsored Programs and Research, and
the Research Council announces Susan Lacey, Ph.D., has been named Fall 2019 Researcher
of the Semester. Lacey holds the Kitty DeGree Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair and is
a professor in the Kitty DeGree School of Nursing in the College of Health Sciences.
PHOTO: Susan Lacey, Ph.D., Kitty DeGree Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair in the University
of Louisiana Monroe Kitty DeGree School of Nursing, is the Fall 2019 Researcher of
the Semester.
Emerald McIntyre/ULM Photo Services
“I'm honored to be selected as Researcher of the Semester at ULM. In my role as the
Kitty DeGree School of Nursing Endowed Chair, I have the privilege of working with
exceptional nursing faculty and assist them in writing journal articles and grants.
I also work with dedicated co-investigators in conducting large-scale research projects
for USDA and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. None of this work could
be done without the commitment of my colleagues, the support of my director, Dr. Wendy
Bailes, and the entire OSPR staff,” said Lacey.
Bailes, Ph.D., Director of the School of Nursing, said having Lacey as a faculty member
is “a game-changer.”
“Through Susan’s generosity as chair, we have been able to bring nationally known
speakers to Monroe to conduct workshops with the entire nursing faculty and nursing
leadership. In addition, she has inspired faculty to increase scholarship through
conducting research, writing grants and presenting at conferences. We are blessed
to have her as a part of our school,” Bailes said.
Since joining ULM in 2017, Lacey has received almost $200,000 from the USDA to help
seniors in Northeast Louisiana manage high blood pressure through storytelling.
“The USDA Storytelling grant videotapes senior citizens in Northeast Louisiana parishes
who are managing their high blood pressure well. We share these videos with those
who are less well-managed. The goal of the project is to reduce their emergency room
visits, hospitalizations and unplanned provider visits over the course of the two-year
funding period,” Lacey explained.
Lacey said the $96,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation Screening for
Life grant will provide healthcare screenings and education events for citizens in
Northeast Louisiana.
“I'm honored to be selected as Researcher of the Semester at ULM. In my role as the
Kitty DeGree School of Nursing Endowed Chair, I have the privilege of working with
exceptional nursing faculty and assist them in writing journal articles and grants."
Susan Lacey, Ph.D.
“The Screening for Life grant screens and educates residents in eight rural parishes
in Northeast Louisiana about cancer, diabetes and depression and makes appropriate
referrals,” Lacey said. “Also, individuals will be recruited and trained as community
health workers to serve as health coaches within their own communities. The goal of
this project is to improve health outcomes by early screening and intervention over
the three-year funding period.”
Lacey actively collaborates with colleagues in nursing and other programs to promote
scholarship and research. For example, she developed and taught workshops in writing
for publication and grant writing.
“These are two topics that are important to promote faculty research. Susan has the
knowledge needed to make research understandable and provides suggestions that make
research attainable for faculty teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels,”
said Debra Craighead, Ph.D., associate professor of nursing.
Alberto Ruiz, Ed.D., Vice President of Academic Affairs, said Lacey’s expertise aligns
with ULM’s goals to increase research and become a leading health sciences university
“Dr. Lacey was recognized as an American Academy of Nursing’s Edge Runner for her
contributions to transforming the healthcare system,” Ruiz said. “She is a significant
researcher and leader in the School of Nursing. Her professionalism and accomplishments
are an asset to the university.”
Lacey developed a program training staff nurses new skills to improve patient outcomes
and hospital finances which was adopted by the American Association of Critical Care
Nurses. She has more than 50 publications and serves as an editorial board member
for two nursing journals. Lacey holds a patent for software used for clinical decision
making.
At ULM, Lacey established the annual Lambda Mu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International
Nursing Scholarship conference in Monroe, spearheaded the first College of Health
Sciences Research Day and created the Kitty DeGree Nursing Innovation Center.
John W. Sutherlin, Ph.D., director of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research,
commented, "Because of hard-working faculty across all of our colleges, ULM is engaging
in research that impacts the community. Dr. Susan Lacey is a fine example of a professor
devoted to her students by developing meaningful funded programs."
For more information on the OSPR, visit https://www.ulm.edu/research/.
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