A Nurse Scientist Leading What’s Next in Nursing
Summer 2026
Curiosity and creativity are hallmarks of Angela Starkweather, PhD, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, dean, chief academic officer, and professor at Rutgers School of Nursing. She applies a disciplined, question-driven approach to her work. She listens deeply and asks, “Why?” and “How can we improve?”
As the school marks its 70th year, Starkweather is building on a longstanding tradition of leadership and innovation. Her priorities include producing highly prepared graduates across levels, expanding research, supporting clinical partners, and strengthening interprofessional collaboration.
“We’re working with clinical and industry partners to bring new educational approaches and technology-enabled care, preparing students for the next innovations in the field,” says Starkweather, who joined Rutgers in August 2024. “The school primes our students for clinical practice, while instilling a drive to keep learning and improving for the benefit of our patients, families, and communities.”
Starkweather brings extensive experience as a scholar grounded in clinical practice and connected to the communities her work serves. She’s an outspoken advocate for advanced practice nurses, promoting workforce policies that align with data and evidence. “We know that patients benefit when nurses are empowered to practice within the full scope of their education and training,” she says.
A Trajectory to Academia
Growing up in rural Washington state, Starkweather saw how access to care can vary—and how social, economic, and policy factors influence who receives it, shaping her view of the role nurses play in improving care across settings.
Wanting to make a meaningful difference in people’s health experiences, she chose to become a nurse.
As an acute care nurse practitioner, she treated patients in the aftermath of trauma, which led her to study how the body responds to injury and recovery. “I continually sought better nursing interventions,” she says, a drive that led her to pursue a PhD to build the evidence that guides nursing practice.
Encouraged by a mentor to combine clinical practice with academia, Starkweather took on leadership roles, including department chair, PhD program director, associate dean for academic affairs, and assistant dean for research development, while making impressive gains in her own program of research.
Research with Impact
Today, she studies the causes and treatment of pain and other distressing conditions and develops approaches to improve care. Continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for over a decade, she has secured more than $20 million in support, authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, and written three books.
She has held volunteer leadership roles with organizations, including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research. Her many awards and honors include her 2024 induction into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.
Research is a top priority at the School of Nursing, which recently established the Center for Health Equity and Systems Research. “We have a strong infrastructure,” she says, “that supports collaboration and innovation to address the factors that affect health outcomes.”
She also prioritizes faculty development and cites recent success in recruiting research-focused and tenure-track faculty, including the appointment of an inaugural vice dean for nursing research.
Looking Ahead
Beyond recruitment and faculty development, Starkweather has made celebrating achievement a priority, establishing new awards programs that recognize faculty, students, and staff. She believes recognition strengthens the community and highlights the contributions that advance the school’s mission.
Starkweather views the school as a hub offering multiple pathways to a bachelor’s or advanced degree in nursing. A lifelong learner guided by her curiosity, she encourages students to think broadly about where a nursing career can lead. “There is a place for everyone in nursing, which really excites me,” she says.
With U.S. enrollments in nursing PhD programs plateauing, she points to the need for a stronger research pipeline.
“We certainly need more minds focused on advancing our science and practice. In other disciplines, graduate students receive robust tuition support and stipends,” she says. “We need to have a similar investment in nurse scientists who are improving the care of patients and communities.”