UArizona Nursing Associate Dean, Research, Judith Gordon, PhD, Receives Distinguished Mentor Award
April 28, 2023
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On April 13, University of Arizona College of Nursing Associate Dean, Research, Judith Gordon, PhD, was selected for the Office of the Provost’s Distinguished Mentor Award. This award was established to recognize outstanding tenured or continuing status faculty at the full professor rank who have mentored early career faculty and made highly valued contributions to the mentoring of graduate students.
The Distinguished Mentor award recognizes faculty whose careers illustrate a remarkable dedication to graduate students through transformative mentorship. The intent of the award is to honor individuals whose dedication to nurturing future scholars in inclusive, equitable, innovative and holistically supportive ways has raised the standards of mentorship across the campus.
“It is an honor just to be nominated for the Distinguished Mentor Award, and it’s rewarding to receive it. I’m most touched by the nomination letters and the emails I’ve received from faculty and students expressing gratitude for the help they’ve received. I’m happy that what I’m doing is helpful to others," ~ Judith Gorson, PhD, University of Arizona College of Nursing Associate Dean, Research
“It is an honor just to be nominated for the Distinguished Mentor Award, and it’s rewarding to receive it,” Dr. Gordon said. “I’m most touched by the nomination letters and the emails I’ve received from faculty and students expressing gratitude for the help they’ve received. I’m happy that what I’m doing is helpful to others.”
Dr. Gordon’s nomination was reviewed by the leadership of the MENTOR Institute, which chose her from among the most outstanding faculty mentors from across campus. The committee recommended her selection because of her demonstrated pride and passion for mentoring others to reach their full academic and professional potential. The committee was especially impressed by the support Dr. Gordon received from her department faculty and her successful track record mentoring graduate students who have been quick to apply for grants and write manuscripts for publication. Dr. Gordon will receive a one-time allocation of $5,000 in University funds to further work within her discipline.
Asked about the importance of her role as a mentor, Dr. Gordon said, “I find it extremely meaningful to help faculty and graduate students to accomplish their goals. I view my role as providing information, guidance, and support to develop the skills they need to become independent researchers. I like the old saying, ‘Give someone a fish and they eat for a day. Teach them to fish and they eat for a lifetime.’”
Dr. Gordon hopes to use the award funds to travel to Sydney, Australia to enhance UArizona Nursing’s research partnership with University of Technology Sydney School of Nursing and Midwifery. Laying the groundwork for more faculty collaborations across the two institutes would be a boon for both schools.
In addition to her role as a skilled mentor, Dr. Gordon is a Professor and Interim Associate Dean for Research and Executive Director for Research Initiatives in the College of Nursing. Her areas of expertise include public health tobacco cessation interventions delivered in dental and medical settings, self-help tobacco cessation programs, educational tobacco cessation programs for healthcare practitioners, computer-based tobacco prevention programs, multi-behavioral interventions to address weight, physical activity, and tobacco, and the use of mobile health technologies (e.g., mobile apps) for lifestyle change and medication adherence.
Dr. Gordon has been the PI or Co-Investigator on more than 30 projects funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She has authored and co-authored numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, and presented widely at national and international scientific conferences. She has served on several proposal review committees, editorial boards, and professional societies.