The State of Nursing Science: The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing’s Endowed Lectureship Symposium

Speakers 

Michael Chung, MD, PhD, MPH, FRCP

Dr. Michael H. Chung is Director of Treatment, Research, and Expert Education (TREE) and the Associate Director of Emory Global Health Institute. He is also a Professor at the Emory University School of Medicine and Affiliate Professor at the Rollins School of Public Health at the University of Washington. 

Dr. Chung spent nearly 20 years living in Kenya and Vietnam conducting research, teaching medicine, building health systems, and treating patients before returning to America. He co-founded the Coptic Hope Center for Infectious Diseases, one of the largest single-site HIV treatment clinics in Kenya and chaired the Department of Medicine at Aga Khan University in East Africa. 

Dr. Chung received his MD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, PhD from Ghent University, and MPH from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Hae Won Kim, PhD, RN

Dr. Hae Won Kim is a Professor in the College of Nursing at Seoul National University (SNU), where she previously served as Dean. Dr. Kim has held key positions at Catholic Kwandong University and SNU, including Director of the Department of Nursing and Director of the Research Institutes of Nursing Science, respectively. 

Dr. Kim earned her BS, MS, and PhD in Nursing from SNU and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan and Catholic University of Leuven in Leuven, Belgium.

Dr. Kim is a leading scholar in women’s health, reproductive health, and nursing science, with extensive publications in international journals. She has served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing and Perspectives in Nursing Science published by the Research Institute of Nursing Science at SNU. Dr. Kim currently sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Korean Medical Science. She also serves as Vice President of the Korean Association of Sexology and President of the Korean Academy of Women Health Nursing. Dr. Kim’s work continues to shape nursing education, research, and policy in Korea and beyond.

Fan-Hao Chou, PhD, RN, FAAN

Dr. Fan-Hao Chou is the Senior Vice President of Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU) in Taiwan and a Distinguished Professor in the KMU College of Nursing.

Dr. Chou earned her PhD in Nursing from The University of Texas at Austin and, as a trailblazer in nursing education and research, specializes in multiple areas such as maternity nursing, parental-child nursing, nursing education, women’s health, gender issues, traditional Chinese medicine in nursing, problem-based learning, and quality of life.

Dr. Chou’s scholarly contributions span over 180 peer-reviewed publications and numerous book chapters. She has served as a member of multiple governmental and academic committees, currently serving as Executive Supervisor of The Kaohsiung City Nurses’ Association and Vice Chairman of Nursing Education Committee of the Taiwan Nurses Association, among others. Dr. Chou is a passionate leader who continues to shape the future of nursing across Taiwan and globally.

Jeung-Im Kim, PhD, MSN, RN

Dr. Jeung-Im Kim is a professor at the School of Nursing, Soonchunhyang University. Dr. Kim received her BSN and MSN from Seoul National University and earned her PhD in Health and Nursing from the University of Tokyo. 

Dr. Kim has served as President of the Korean Society of Women’s Health Nursing and the Korean Society of Maternal & Child Health Nursing. Dr. Kim currently serves as President of the Korean Society of Nursing Science, as well as a board member of the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies and the Korean Accreditation Board of Nursing Education. She has also served as Editor-in-Chief of Asian Nursing Research, Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, and Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing. Her recent work focuses on digital health interventions for pregnancy stress.

In recognition of her contributions, she received the Prime Minister’s Commendation in 2024 and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Award in 2023.

Reiko Sakashita, PhD, RN, PHN, FAAN

Dr. Reiko Sakashita is the Executive Vice President of the University of Hyogo, Japan. Dr. Sakashita is a Nursing Foundation professor, teaching Nursing Research and Theoretical Nursing to undergraduate and graduate students. 

As a researcher, Dr. Sakashita has conducted over 35 studies (13 as the PI) and aggressively disseminated her findings with over 330 publications (over 150 refereed journal articles) that have been continuously funded during the past decades. Dr. Sakashita is also a researcher in data-driven health care systems, analyzing big data from health checkups and receipts using AI leads to a population-based approach and intensive individual care to prevent severe diabetes.

Her research focuses on developing comprehensive nursing support systems for older adults in both community and institutional settings, with particular emphasis on nutritional care and mealtime support to enhance quality of life and foster autonomy. Dr. Sakashita is an Associate Editor of Health Emergency and Disaster Nursing, an Advisory Board Member of Advanced in Nursing Science, and a Life Member of the American Association of Physical Anthropology.

Ameporn Ratinthorn, PhD, RN 

Dr. Ameporn Ratinthorn is Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecological Nursing at Mahidol University in Thailand. Dr. Ratinthorn has over four decades of clinical, academic, and research experience making her a leading scholar in obstetric and gynecological nursing. 

Dr. Ratinthorn earned her PhD in Nursing from the University of California, San Francisco, and holds advanced degrees in maternal-newborn nursing and counseling psychology.

Dr. Ratinthorn’s research focuses on maternal-child health, labor and delivery care, and women's health issues with numerous publications in international journals and research collaborations with global institutions such as the World Health Organization. She is an active member of the Nurses’ Association of Thailand, Sigma Theta Tau International and the International Council on Women’s Health Issues, among others. Dr. Ratinthorn is committed to advancing nursing education and her leadership continues to shape maternal and reproductive health care in Thailand and beyond.