Hudson P. Santos Jr., dean of the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies, received the 2025 President’s Award at the 32nd Annual NightinGala on Wednesday night, October 15, in Washington, D.C. The annual gala was hosted by the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research (FNINR) and held at the Westin Washington DC Downtown.
NINR Board President, Dr. Teri A. Murray, introduced and welcomed Awards Committee Chair, Dr. Eileen Hacker to present the awards. The fifth and final award of the evening went to Dean Santos, professor and Dolores J. Chambreau Endowed Chair in Nursing at the school.
The prestigious President’s Award acknowledges a nurse researcher for “sustained contributions in the field and significant impact on the improvement of the health of marginalized and/or minoritized populations,” stated the citation. “On behalf of nurses and their patients worldwide, we thank you for your unique work as a nurse scientist.”
Making his way to the stage, Dean Santos accepted his award from Dr. Hacker with brief remarks. “I am deeply honored to accept the President’s Award from the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research,” he began, before thanking the FNINR Board, Drs. Murray and Hacker, and “the entire awards committee for this meaningful recognition.”
“I also want to thank the esteemed colleagues and friends who nominated me,” he continued. “As a nurse scientist, educator, and leader, I have always believed in and pursued the power of research to transform lives.” He expressed gratitude for the chance to work with extraordinary colleagues to investigate “how early-life adversity shapes health outcomes and translate those discoveries into real, actionable change in clinical practice,” adding that “NINR’s support has been critical to many of these endeavors.”
In closing, Dean Santos said the future of nursing science depends on the next generation of nurse scientists and urged those in the audience to “pursue the questions that matter, embrace innovation, and create knowledge that strengthens health systems and supports sound decision-making in practice and policy.”
The 2025 President’s Award is given to a nurse researcher with a longstanding trajectory in the focus area with substantial positive outcomes, impact, and improvements in the health of communities and populations. Last year, NINR Featured Research highlighted Dean Santos’s commitment to improving outcomes for mothers and children. Dean Santos has secured over $50 million in federal funds to support research that advances the health of mothers and children.
The FNINR Awards were the highlight of the FNINR NightinGala. In addition to the President’s Award, the Ada Sue Hinshaw Nurse Scholar Award, Faye Glenn Abdellah Leadership Award, Protégé Award, and Nursing Research Advocacy Award were presented.
NINR is one of 27 Institutes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation’s medical research agency. Through the efforts of NINR, the important work nurse researchers do is underscored by scientifically valid findings that inform nursing practice. Because of nursing research, there is increased respect for the nursing profession as well as global recognition of the importance of nursing in managing the health and well-being of individuals.
