College of Nursing PhD students advancing Research in Maternal and Pediatric Health

Katie Darmer and Bryson Martin are among 80 doctoral nursing students selected to participate in the 2026-2028 Jonas Scholars Program. Scholars are recognized for their academic achievement, commitment to teaching and research potential. Over the next two years, Darmer and Martin will learn from nursing experts across the country while developing skills to support their transition into nursing faculty roles.

We spoke with Darmer and Martin about the experiences shaping their research, the impact they hope to make and what becoming Jonas Scholars means for their future careers.

---

Katie Darmer

What inspired you to pursue doctoral study and research focused on women’s health?

As a staff nurse in Labor and Delivery in a rural area for nearly 14 years, I fell in love with training new staff members and new nurses. I loved watching my orientees have “light bulb” moments and learn how to grow into their role as a nurse. I loved precepting so much that my managers knew that if I was not training someone, I was not happy. Eventually, I decided to make the switch to academia where I initially started teaching LPN students at Piedmont Technical College and currently, BSN students at Lander University. I knew that if I was ever going to progress in my career in academia, I would need to pursue a doctoral degree. I decided on the PhD in Nursing Science at USC because of the hybrid structure and their mentorship program. I decided to focus on women’s health because of my labor and delivery experience and what I observed working as a staff nurse at the local hospital.

What specific question or challenge in women’s health do you hope your research will address?

To date, my specific area of research focuses on racial disparities in maternal health, particularly maternal morbidity and mortality among Black women. My clinical background as a labor and delivery nurse has shaped my interest in the systemic and clinical factors that contribute to inequitable maternal outcomes. I am especially interested in the relationship between chronic stress, allostatic load, and adverse cardiovascular outcomes of pregnancy, like hypertensive diseases of pregnancy and peripartum cardiomyopathy. Current scholarly work includes a scoping review examining how chronic stress is measured in women with cardiovascular outcomes of pregnancy. Through this work, I hope to better understand how cumulative stress and structural inequities contribute to maternal health disparities.

Why does this area of research matter to you personally and professionally?

This research matters because Black women experience pregnancy-related deaths at rates two to three times higher than white women in the United States. As a labor and delivery nurse, I have seen how quickly pregnancy complications can become life-threatening and how important it is for patients to feel heard and believed. These disparities are not explained by individual risk factors alone, they reflect the effects of chronic stress, structural racism, unequal access to high-quality care, and bias within healthcare systems. In my research career I hope to contribute to research that can help nurses and healthcare organizations recognize these inequities earlier and develop interventions to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.

What does being selected as a Jonas Scholar mean to you, and how will this support help advance your goals?

Being selected as a Jonas Scholar is an honor that will help support my development as both a nurse scientist and a nurse educator. The Jonas Scholars program helps provide financial assistance while also fostering my leadership development and providing networking opportunities to help strengthen the pipeline of nursing faculty. The financial support of the Jonas Scholars program helps offset the difference between faculty and bedside nursing salaries, giving me greater flexibility to remain in my current role as a nurse educator while pursuing my PhD. This program allows me to continue preparing future nurses while dedicating my time outside of work to doctoral coursework and research.

Bryson Martin

What inspired you to pursue a nursing research career focused on pediatrics?

My interest in pediatric nursing research comes from recognizing how profoundly early health experiences can shape a child’s lifelong development and a family’s well-being. Through my nursing and academic experiences, I have seen the resilience of infants and children, as well as the immense responsibility families carry when navigating complex health needs. I was drawn to this research because it provides an opportunity to improve care beyond a single encounter by generating evidence that can support children and families across the lifespan.

What specific pediatric issue, population or care experience are you most interested in studying, and why?

I am especially interested in improving outcomes for very preterm infants and their families. Infants born prematurely often face medical and developmental challenges that continue well beyond the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). My research interests include identifying early indicators of stress and neurodevelopmental risk, as well as developing practical, family-centered interventions that promote healthy development. This population is especially meaningful to me because earlier identification and support may create lasting benefits during a critical period of development.

What do you hope your research will ultimately improve for children and their families?

Ultimately, I hope my research helps make pediatric care more proactive, equitable, and responsive to each family’s needs. I want to contribute to technologies, tools, and interventions that help clinicians identify children who may benefit from additional support earlier, while ensuring families are meaningful partners in care and decision-making. My goal is to help improve developmental outcomes, reduce stress burden for families, and support every child’s opportunity to thrive.

What does becoming a Jonas Scholar mean to you, and how will this support help advance your goals?

Becoming a Jonas Scholar is both an honor and a meaningful investment in my future as a nurse scientist. The Jonas Scholar funding affirms the importance of preparing nurse researchers to address complex health challenges and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations. This support will help me continue building the research skills, mentorship relationships, and leadership capacity needed to advance pediatric and neonatal health research. I am grateful for the opportunity to join a community of scholars committed to improving health and health care through nursing leadership, research, and service.

---